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HubSpot’s Marketing Blog – attracting over 2 million monthly readers – covers everything you need to know to master inbound marketing.en-usSun, 02 Aug 2015 12:00:46 GMT2015-08-02T12:00:46Zen-usThe 14 Coolest Beer Label Designs You've Ever Seenhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/beer-label-designs
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<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/best-beer-label-designs">originally appeared </a>on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency-subscribe">subscribe to Agency Post</a>.</em></span></span></p>
<p><span>While it's certainly important for a beer to taste good, there's no denying that packaging has some influence on people's&nbsp;</span><span>buying decisions.</span></p><p><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Best_Beer_Labels.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/best-beer-label-designs">originally appeared </a>on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency-subscribe">subscribe to Agency Post</a>.</em></span></span></p>
<p><span>While it's certainly important for a beer to taste good, there's no denying that packaging has some influence on people's&nbsp;</span><span>buying decisions.</span></p>
<p>Ten years ago, a lot of breweries found they could get away with soliciting a friend to design their beer packaging.&nbsp;Not anymore.&nbsp;With so many beers&nbsp;competing for attention on the shelves, standout beer&nbsp;labels&nbsp;have become a&nbsp;critical part of&nbsp;any brewery's&nbsp;marketing strategy.</p>
<p>So which breweries have come up with those really standout&nbsp;designs?&nbsp;Let's take a look at 14 breweries that set themselves apart.</p>
<h2>14 Breweries With the Best Beer Labels</h2>
<h3>1) 21st Amendment Brewery</h3>
<p>Didn't think some of the best beer label designs would be on a can, did you? For 21st&nbsp;Amendment Brewery, the decision to use cans -- and only cans -- was entirely intentional.</p>
<p><span>"Back in 2005, I was out at the Great American Beer Festival ...</span><span>&nbsp;and I really saw the future of craft beer,"&nbsp;<a href="http://coolmaterial.com/feature/the-cans-of-21st-amendment-brewery/">Co-Founder Shaun Sullivan told <em>Cool Material</em></a><span>. "</span>Back then no one was putting craft beer in cans. But, it’s portable, easy to recycle, and perfect for the outdoors.&nbsp;</span>It was also interesting for marketing and telling the story as the can is 360 degrees of space, unlike doing a beer label on a bottle. Coupled with the box the cans come in, we really have a great canvas to get our story across."</p>
<p>Based in San Francisco, Sullivan and his business partner work closely with <a href="http://www.tbdagency.com/project/21st-amendment/">TBD Advertising</a> in Oregon to come up with a design for each new beer that comes on the shelf. Designing and creating new beers is his favorite thing about making beer, he says.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="21st-amendment-beer-1.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/21st-amendment-beer-1.png" style="width: 669px;" title="21st-amendment-beer-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.brewreviewcrew.com/4th-of-july-beer/">Brew Review Crew</a></em></span></p>
<h3>2) Evil Twin Brewing</h3>
<p>You might think a brewery with such creative names and crazy cool,&nbsp;fractal-like designs has a whole design team behind them. But that's not the case. The beer-naming and label-designing at Evil Twin Brewing is divided up entirely between its two co-founders,&nbsp;<span>Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø and Martin Justesen</span>.</p>
<p><span>Jarnit-Bjergsø is responsible for coming up with the beer names (although <a href="http://coolmaterial.com/food-drink/the-labels-of-evil-twin-brewing/">he admits</a> his wife, who's a copywriter by trade, comes up with most of them), while&nbsp;Justessen designs all the labels.</span></p>
<p><span><span>"<span>I’ll often start doing sketches when I hear the name of the beer,"&nbsp;<a href="http://coolmaterial.com/food-drink/the-labels-of-evil-twin-brewing/">says&nbsp;</a><span><a href="http://coolmaterial.com/food-drink/the-labels-of-evil-twin-brewing/">Justesen</a>.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span>"The look of an Evil Twin label is quite geometrical and graphic. Every label is built up by triangular shapes. I like for the labels to work on two levels, the first to grab your attention by standing out, and the second by containing details you later discover when you sit down and look at it close up."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="evil-twin-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/evil-twin-beer.jpg" title="evil-twin-beer.jpg" width="620"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://eviltwin.dk/">Evil Twin Brewing</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="evil-twin-hipster-ale.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/evil-twin-hipster-ale.jpg" title="evil-twin-hipster-ale.jpg" width="235"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://eviltwin.dk/">Evil Twin Brewing</a></em></span></p>
<p>As for naming the beer? Some of our&nbsp;favorites include "Even More Jesus," "Bikini Beer," and "Before, During, and After Christmas."</p>
<p><span>"O</span>ur philosophy behind beer names is that we aren’t weird just to be weird,"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/stories-behind-evil-twin-beer-names">says Jarnit-Bjergsø</a>.&nbsp;"That said, I do like the idea of having names that don’t make sense -- it means that if you see the name, you have to think about it, you have to consider what it is. If a beer is called 'Brown Ale,' you forget it a second later, because everyone knows what a brown ale is, and has seen that name 100 times before. But if you see a name that’s more interesting, you’re automatically like, 'I wonder what that is?' And that way you just remember it better."</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">3)&nbsp;Kiuchi Brewery</h3>
<p>Kiuchi's been making sake&nbsp;since 1823 -- way before they began brewing beer in 1996. And with distribution routes <a href="http://ignition.co/110">in over 30 countries</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<span>a gold medal at the Brewing Industry International Awards under its belt</span>, it's clear they're darn good at it.</p>
<p>The packaging of their series of Hitachino Nest beers features a distinctive red owl and the brewery's name in gold lettering. The same cartoon-like red owl appears on every rendition of the Hitachino Nest series, making it easy to pick out from the crowd. You'll notice the names of the beers -- and their ingredients -- are also distinctly Japanese: The "Red Rice Ale" uses red rice, a type of ancient Japanese rice; "Nipponia" uses a barley malt and hop from Japan; "Ginger Ale" uses wild-bred mandarin grown near the brewery. The brewery's president <a href="http://ignition.co/110">Toshiyuki Kuichi says</a> these names and ingredients help attract foreigners' curiosity.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="hitachino-nest-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/hitachino-nest-beer.jpg" title="hitachino-nest-beer.jpg" width="418"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://lifestyle.sg.88db.com/5-weird-beers-from-around-the-world/hitachino-nest-beer/">88DB.com</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">4)&nbsp;Oregon Brewing Company</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Oregon Brewing Company's line of Rogue ales is another example of great beer names paired with beautiful label designs. From&nbsp;"Chipotle Ale" to "Yellow Snow Ale" to "Voodoo Doughnut" (a bacon maple ale that&nbsp;comes in a bright pink bottle), the names -- and flavors -- certainly coincide with the brewery's bold personality. The illustrations on many of the labels feature a person either holding up their left fist, or holding a beer and offering a "cheers" to the drinker.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rogue-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rogue-beer.jpg" style="width: 669px;" title="rogue-beer.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.primesocialmarketing.com/logo-design-tips-with-8-of-the-best-looking-craft-beer-brands.html">Prime Social Marketing</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Other Rogue beers playfully mock popular culture,&nbsp;like the "Sriracha Hot Stout Beer" pictured below. The beer is made from Huy Fong original hot chili sauce and, <a href="http://www.today.com/food/rogue-sriracha-hot-stout-beer-mixes-iconic-sauce-new-brew-1D80372999">according to Rogue Brewing President Bretty Joyce</a>, it became a record-selling product for the brewery within&nbsp;only a few days of its&nbsp;debut -- even though <a href="http://www.today.com/food/rogue-sriracha-hot-stout-beer-mixes-iconic-sauce-new-brew-1D80372999">many people find</a> its distinctively spicy taste questionable.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rogue-sriracha-stout.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rogue-sriracha-stout.jpg" title="rogue-sriracha-stout.jpg" width="205"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://uncrate.com/stuff/rogue-sriracha-stout-beer/">uncrate</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">5)&nbsp;New England Brewing Company</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">The label on the&nbsp;"Imperial Stout Trooper" from New England Brewing Company is nothing short of amazing -- and the story behind it is pretty funny, too.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Each year, the brewery&nbsp;creates a special release beer, which is why they first brewed the Imperial Stout Trooper in 2007. It was an instant hit and the first batch initially sold out, and the beer itself&nbsp;quickly became something of a Star Wars fan cult item.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">When it was first released,&nbsp;its&nbsp;label featured an undisguised Stormtrooper's face.&nbsp;But in 2010, they were <a href="http://www.beerscenemag.com/2011/08/rare-findnew-england-brewing-co-%E2%80%99s-imperial-stout-trooper/">forced to change the label</a> due to copyright infringements ... which is why the Stormtrooper on the label now wears a Groucho Marx disguise. The label change made the already rare Star Wars-themed beer even more sought after than it already was.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="imperial-stout-trooper-beer.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/imperial-stout-trooper-beer.png" style="width: 669px;" title="imperial-stout-trooper-beer.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: 12px;">Image Credit: <a href="http://beerstreetjournal.com/its-star-wars-day-dont-be-surprised-by-this/bsj-imperial-stout-trooper/">Beer Street Journal</a></span></em></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">6) Uinta Brewing Company</h3>
<p>Salt Lake City-based Uinta Brewing first hired <a href="https://twitter.com/10xcollective">The Tenfold Collective</a>, a small design firm&nbsp;based in Colorado, in 2010. Since then, the firm has created plenty of&nbsp;beer labels for the brewery and launched <a href="http://www.uintabrewing.com/">its beautiful new website</a>. The bright color schemes and attention to detail make these labels fun to take a closer look at. Plus, they look a heckuva lot like vintage ski posters, reminiscent of&nbsp;their Utah/Colorado origin.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.uintabrewing.com/archives/a-redesign-for-uinta-brewing-co">On their blog</a>, the folks at Uinta describe the "classic Uinta feel" as one that "reflects an appreciation for the outdoors and the timeless beauty of the mountain west." After all, the company's namesake is Utah's tallest mountain range, the Uinta Mountains.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="uinta-beer.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/uinta-beer.png" title="uinta-beer.png" width="580"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://ncm.newcitymovement.com/home/2012/04/uinta-brewing-tenfold-collective-great-design">New City Movement</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">7) Huyghe Brewery</h3>
<p>You probably recognize this one thanks to the iconic&nbsp;pink elephant ... it's Belgium-based Huyghe Brewery's famous Delirium beers. Although the Delirium beers' names are famous&nbsp;now, the folks at Huyghe actually <a href="http://www.refinedguy.com/2012/08/23/50-awesome-beer-labels/#36">had some trouble</a> getting them on the shelves for a while because of the name. For example,&nbsp;<em>Delerium tremens</em>&nbsp;refers to the shakes that alcoholics get when suffering from withdrawal,&nbsp;which are often accompanied by visions (like pink elephants).</p>
<p>Despite the controversy in the name, this beer managed to become one of the most well known brands in the world. The name is written in what looks like the <a href="http://ufonts.com/fonts/p22-kilkenny.html">Kilkenny font</a>, the pink elephant has become an icon, and the white bottle -- which constrasts interestingly with the dark beer within -- is easily recognizable on a shelf.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="delirium-tremens-box.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/delirium-tremens-box.jpg" title="delirium-tremens-box.jpg" width="600"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="https://creativemarket.com/blog/2015/04/07/20-of-the-most-creative-beer-packaging-designs-ever">Creative Market</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">8)&nbsp;<span>Anheuser-Busch</span></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">While most beer labels limit the design to what's printed on the label itself, the folks at Anheuser-Busch&nbsp;let the shape of the label do some of the talking. The brewery's marketing team positions their tequila-inspired Oculto beer around mystery and spontaneous nights out with friends, which is reflected in its packaging.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The Oculto label&nbsp;features a white skull&nbsp;with the eyes cut out. When the bottle is cold, the logo turns flourescent and the skull's empty eyes glow green thanks to temperature-responsive, thermochromic ink, <a href="http://www.packagingdigest.com/beverage-packaging/mysterious-oculto-beer-serves-package-surprises/page/0/1">according to&nbsp;<em>Packaging Digest.</em></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="oculto-beer.jpeg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/oculto-beer.jpeg" title="oculto-beer.jpeg" width="511"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="https://www.hy-vee.com/grocery/PD9119429/Oculto-Beer-6-Pack">Hy-Vee</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span>Check out the Instagram post below, which shows the cool effect of&nbsp;being able to see the beer&nbsp;and flickering candlelight through the label.</span></span></p>
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<div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaagfbmveuiiii9pt0ehh4gib4hibkchbwchbwchbydr+jqaaaachrstlmaba4yhyqsm5jtamwaaadfsurbvdjl7zvbegmhcaqbaf//42xcnbpaqakcm0ftumfaaibe81iqbjds3ls6zs3bipb9wed3yyxfpmhrft8sgyrcp1x8ueuxlmznwelfoycv6mhwwwmzdpekhlhlw7nwjqkhc4uizphavdza2jpzudsbzzinae2s6owh8xpmx8g7zzgkeopuoyhvgz1tbcxmkd3kwnvbu0gkhkx+izilf77iofhry1nyfnb/lqpb79drwoyjva/davg9b/rlb4cc+nqgdz/tvbbbnr6gbreqn/nrmdgaqeej7whonozjf+y2i/fzou/qaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div>
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<p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://instagram.com/p/5X312jO_tL/" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">When the lights go down, the mischief begins. #MakeSecrets</a></p>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A video posted by Oculto (@oculto_us) on Jul 20, 2015 at 2:26pm PDT</p>
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<h3>9) Stone Brewing Company</h3>
<p>The graphics and colors on&nbsp;Stone Brewing Company's beers are bold -- and so is their copywriting. The gargoyle&nbsp;is there to protect beer lovers from the "fizzy yellow" beer.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.arrogantbastard.com/arrogantbastard/">description of their&nbsp;Arrogant Bastard Ale reads</a>, "Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="stone-levitation-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/stone-levitation-beer.jpg" style="width: 669px;" title="stone-levitation-beer.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://savagehenrymagazine.com/six-beers-deep-levitation-ale/">Savage Henry</a></em></span></p>
<p>The copy on their "Levitation" label is untouchable. Check it out below, and note&nbsp;how it playfully mocks the reader.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="stone-levitation-ale-back.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/stone-levitation-ale-back.jpg" title="stone-levitation-ale-back.jpg" width="484"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.stonebrewing.com/beers/bottledesign.asp?intBeerID=75#">Stone Brewing Co.</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">10) Magic Hat</h3>
<p>Magic Hat is proud of its deep connections with the arts community in its home city of Burlington, Vermont -- even their brewery's bar and shop is called The Artifactory -- so it's no surprise that its packaging is an&nbsp;artistic masterpiece itself. Each beer's label features&nbsp;colorful, trippy, and super detailed illustrations.</p>
<p>Where does the brewery draw its&nbsp;design&nbsp;inspiration? Concert posters, <a href="http://blog.magichat.net/post/117608348857/weve-been-big-fans-of-the-art-of-printmaking-for">according to their blog</a>. Several years ago, the folks at Magic Hat teamed up with&nbsp;<span>printmaker </span><a href="http://pollockprints.com/">Jim Pollock</a>&nbsp;-- the same Jim Pollock who became famous for creating many of Phish's most memorable concert posters. For the most part, though, the brewery <a href="http://blog.magichat.net/post/112883355387/stealin-a-peek-as-our-art-director-shawn-puts">sources design work in-house</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="magic-hat-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/magic-hat-beer.jpg" title="magic-hat-beer.jpg" width="453"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.cooksclassroom.com/tag/magic-hat/">Cook's Classroom</a></em></span></p>
<p>But the company doesn't just pair up with famous designers to design their beer labels.&nbsp;Ever few years, they hold a "Labels for Libations" design contest to raise money for the local art scene, in which they solicit local artists to compete to design a label for a beer that'll be released the following year. Here was the 2014 contest's winning label:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="magic-hat-winning-label.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/magic-hat-winning-label.jpg" title="magic-hat-winning-label.jpg" width="529"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.magichat.net/artspace/">Magic Hat Brewing Co.</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Finally, let's not forget the copy on the inside of the&nbsp;beer caps of Magic Hat's best-selling beer, #9. Someone's even dedicated <a href="http://magichatcap.tumblr.com/">an entire Tumblr blog</a> to Magic Hat beer cap "wisdom." (I put wisdom in quotes because, well ... you'll see.)</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A few of our favorites? "Remember the Dinosaurs"; "Why Don't They Call 'Em Bottle Hats?"; "Don't Cook Bacon Naked."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="magic-hat-beer-caps.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/magic-hat-beer-caps.jpg" title="magic-hat-beer-caps.jpg" width="570"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: 12px;">Image Credit: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/89211516/lot-of-9-inspiring-magic-hat-bottle-caps">bigblueapothecary Etsy shop</a></span></em></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">11) Cisco Brewers</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">There's something so refreshing about simplicity in design. That's what Cisco Brewers accomplishes with its beer labels, all of which are clean and minimalistic. Each has single-color design that looks old-timey -- almost like a wood cut from the 19th century. The simple approach they take with their brand&nbsp;is reminiscent of Nantucket Island -- where the brewery is located -- and its untouched, clean look and feel.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>"Most of the original labels were just our logo -- the name of the beer on different colored paper to designate the different styles," Jay Harman, one of Cisco Brewers' three founders, told me. "As time went on we started to work on more wood cut branded pieces that would allow customers to relive their island experience wherever they were consuming our beer."</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>The labels themselves were designed by a combination of the brewers' founders and some local artists from Nantucket. Local artist</span>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.quidleyandco.com/Artist/George_Murphy.aspx">George Murphy</a>&nbsp;created&nbsp;the "Whale's Tale Pale Ale" logo,&nbsp;Cisco cofounder Randy Hudson did the "Sankaty Light" label and the "Indie Pale Ale" label; Wendy Hudson, Cisco's&nbsp;other cofounder, did the "The Grey Lady" label; and local graphic artist <a href="http://www.malcolmdesigns.com/">Malcolm Brooks</a> did the "Summer of Lager" logo.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cisco-brewing-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/cisco-brewing-beer.jpg" title="cisco-brewing-beer.jpg" width="675"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.foodlushblog.com/2011/08/cisco-brewers.html">Food Lush Blog</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Not only are Cisco's traditional labels cool, but so is their recent collaboration with&nbsp;Marine Research Group&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ocearch.org/">OCEARCH</a>. Last fall, Cisco&nbsp;released a brand new beer called the "Shark Tracker Light Lager" to benefit research and education about the ocean's predators -- and to inspire fascination, rather than fear. Scan a can with the lab's mobile app and you can access all kinds of information about their resesarch on sharks, watch videos, and so on. It's a very cool, interactive touch.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cisco-shark-tracker-light-lager.jpeg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/cisco-shark-tracker-light-lager.jpeg" style="width: 450px;" title="cisco-shark-tracker-light-lager.jpeg" width="450">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.brewbound.com/news/cisco-releases-shark-tracker-lager">Brewbound</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Finally, we couldn't very well leave out Cisco's tap handle designs. When you're in a crowded bar wondering which beer to order, where do you look to figure out&nbsp;what the place has on draught? The beer taps, of course. That's why it's so important for them to stand out. For many breweries, the tap handle becomes a calling card.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="content-post__body">"Off-island, tap markers designate the real estate behind the bar, so it's important for customers to know what's being poured," says Harman.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Cisco's designed&nbsp;big, carved-wood tap handles for its four most popular beers that really stand out.&nbsp;Here's the tap handle&nbsp;for its Grey Lady beer:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cisco-grey-lady-tap.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/cisco-grey-lady-tap.jpg" style="width: 300px;" title="cisco-grey-lady-tap.jpg" width="300"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://beertaps.blogspot.com/2014/03/tap-handle-380-cisco-grey-lady.html">beertaps.blogspot.com</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">12) Newburgh Brewing Co.</h3>
<p>With so many beers on the market these days, it can be really hard to stand out on the shelf. This is what drove Newburgh Brewing Company to solicit a busy and colorful label design design for their Cream Ale, <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/07/americas-best-loved-beer-label-stands-out-by-design.html">according to their COO&nbsp;and president Paul Halayko</a>.</p>
<p>The label features the company mascot Betsy the Cow along with icons from around Newburgh, New York. You can see imagery of the brewery's building, the Hudson Valley, and phrases showing they're proud to be local like "This beer was born here" and "Our interpretation of a New York original".&nbsp;D<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">esigned by Philadelphia-based design firm <a href="http://moderngood.com/">Modern Good</a>, it&nbsp;</span>beat 64 brands <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/07/americas-best-loved-beer-label-stands-out-by-design.html">to win CNBC's best-loved beer label</a> for 2015.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="newburg-brewing-cream-ale.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/newburg-brewing-cream-ale.jpg" title="newburg-brewing-cream-ale.jpg" width="530"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/02/most-loved-beer-label-championship-set.html">CNBC</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em><img alt="newburgh-beer-label.jpeg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/newburgh-beer-label.jpeg" title="newburgh-beer-label.jpeg" width="345"></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.hvmag.com/Blogs/The-First-Draft/April-2015/Newburgh-Brewing-Companys-Cream-Ale-Advances-in-CNBCcoms-Most-Loved-Beer-Label-Competition/">HV Magazine</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">13) Flying Dog</h3>
<p>Back in 2012, Flying Dog Brewery <a href="http://flyingdogbrewery.com/new-packaging-designs-coming-your-way/">rolled out new packaging</a> with the goal of better reflecting the "insanely chaotic, yet intricately detailed" Ralph Steadman art on their labels. Steadman, a prolific artist who's produced thousands of iconic&nbsp;illustrations,&nbsp;<a href="http://flyingdogbrewery.com/about-us/the-flying-dog-story/">has been creating all the original art</a> for Flying Dog's beer labels in 1995.&nbsp;<span>His designs are&nbsp;splatter art illustrations, often featuring mythical creatures.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="flying-dog-beer" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/flying-dog-beer-1.jpg" style="width: 669px;" title="flying-dog-beer-1.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit:&nbsp;<a href="http://boabeerblog.com/2012/08/30/beer-of-the-week-flying-dog-brewery/">BOA Beer Blog</a></em></span></p>
<p><span>On </span><a href="http://www.ralphsteadmanartcollection.com/licensed-view.asp?licensed_urn=107">Steadman's official art collection website</a><span>, his art for Flying Dog is described like this:&nbsp;"</span><span>Steadman's illustrations have caused outrage in some, been banned by some states, but have beer drinkers of the world over rejoicing. The perfect marriage of taste and rage, poetry for the senses and an orgy for the imagination."</span></p>
<p>Many of his labels feature dogs,&nbsp;which makes sense given the name of the brewery. But these aren't just any dogs. "Many of [Steadman's] illustrations are mythical beasts related to the dog," <a href="http://flyingdogbrewery.com/the-session-brew-zoo-working-with-ralph-steadman-and-designing-new-labels-for-flying-dog-brewery/">reads the brewery's official blog</a>. "The character on our Horn Dog Barley Wine is part Rhinoceros, part dog, part T-Rex. To me, this is the most wonderful illustration that we’re currently using on our labels."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="horn-dog-beer-label-1.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/horn-dog-beer-label-1.jpg" title="horn-dog-beer-label-1.jpg" width="500"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://flyingdogbrewery.com/the-session-brew-zoo-working-with-ralph-steadman-and-designing-new-labels-for-flying-dog-brewery/">Flying Dog Brewery</a></em></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">14) Lagunitas</h3>
<p>Lagunitas' highly recognizable beer labels are characterized by an old-school white background and large, all-caps letters.&nbsp;<span>But because their labels are so simple by design, they've experienced some trademarking trouble in the past. Right now, the brewery has four federally registered trademarks and two pending trademarks all relating to their most popular beer, Lagunitas IPA, against Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter IPA.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="lagunitas-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lagunitas-beer.jpg" style="width: 669px;" title="lagunitas-beer.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://uptownmarketpdx.com/2015/04/13/lagunitas-417/">Uptown Market</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Below, you'll see the similarities between Lagunitas' IPA label (right) and Sierra Nevada's (left):</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="lagunitas-versus-sierra-nevada-labels.jpeg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lagunitas-versus-sierra-nevada-labels.jpeg" title="lagunitas-versus-sierra-nevada-labels.jpeg" width="680"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://www.pressdemocrat.com/business/3374076-181/petalumas-lagunitas-brewery-backs-away">The Press Democrat</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">But there's another reason Lagunitas sets itself apart from the others, and that's the fun, conversational copy they put on their labels.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Take a look at the words written around the edges of the "A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale."&nbsp;It reads: "So, we're all on collective disability. That's cool. Let's put some ice on it and keep ourselves elevated for a while. So, what's on the tube..? Honey.. Get me a beer from the fridge.. Will ya..? Sweetie..? Pleeease..?"</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="lagunitas-little-sumpin-label.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lagunitas-little-sumpin-label.png" title="lagunitas-little-sumpin-label.png" width="422"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://beerpulse.com/2009/04/lagunitas-a-little-sumpin-sumpin-ale-coming-soon/">Beer Pulse</a></em></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Does the label even matter?</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Here's the thing, though. There are plenty of beers out there doing just fine with totally generic labeling. Take&nbsp;Russian River's "Pliny the Elder," for example. It's widely regarded as one of the best beers in the world.&nbsp;It's been named America's best beer <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/06/ale-named-americas-best-beer-for-7th-year-in-a-row.html">for seven years straight</a>.&nbsp;</span><span>And yet,&nbsp;</span>its label is as basic as it gets.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="pliny-the-elder-beer.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/pliny-the-elder-beer.jpg" title="pliny-the-elder-beer.jpg" width="150"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://russianriverbrewing.com/brews/pliny-the-elder/">Russian River Brewing</a></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If a beer crosses a certain taste threshold, does the label just&nbsp;not matter anymore? Or is beautiful packaging a new brewery's best bet at&nbsp;getting their beer noticed on crowded shelves?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fbeer-label-designs&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">DesignPop CultureDailySun, 02 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/beer-label-designs2015-08-02T12:00:00ZHow to Work the Room at Your Next Networking Event [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-work-a-room
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-work-a-room" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/How-to-work-a-room.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><span class="content-post__body"><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-to-work-a-room">originally appeared </a>on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></span></p>
<p>Take a second to imagine a business event you attended recently.</p>
<p>When the keynote presentation ended, it's likely that a majority of the vendors and attendees flocked to the nearest charging station, pulled out their tablets and pretended to look busy, or&nbsp;awkwardly huddled with their coworkers around the tall tables by the refreshments.&nbsp;</p><p><img height="315" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/How-to-work-a-room.jpeg" width="761"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-to-work-a-room">originally appeared </a>on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></span></p>
<p>Take a second to imagine a business event you attended recently.</p>
<p>When the keynote presentation ended, it's likely that a majority of the vendors and attendees flocked to the nearest charging station, pulled out their tablets and pretended to look busy, or&nbsp;awkwardly huddled with their coworkers around the tall tables by the refreshments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While we're all guilty of resorting to one of the actions above at least once, it's important that you always remind yourself why you actually attended the event in the first place.&nbsp;Perhaps it was to find new business, network with peers in your industry, or close a deal.</p>
<p>And&nbsp;let's be real -- you're not going to accomplish <em>any</em>&nbsp;of that if you sit at a table texting or pretending to do work on your laptop until it's time to meet up with your colleagues&nbsp;for the afterparty.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For tips on how to make the most out of any event, we created the&nbsp;infographic below. Be sure to read through the each step carefully to uncover the best advice on how to <span>work the room at your next event.</span></p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fsales%2Fhow-to-work-a-room&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2FHow_To_Work_A_Room.png&amp;description=How%20To%20Work%20a%20Room%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p><img alt="How_To_Work_A_Room.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/How_To_Work_A_Room.png" style="width: 669px;" title="How_To_Work_A_Room.png"></p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fsales%2Fhow-to-work-a-room&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2FHow_To_Work_A_Room.png&amp;description=How%20To%20Work%20a%20Room%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fhow-to-work-a-room&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Office LifeProfessional DevelopmentDailySat, 01 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMTkboyarsky@hubspot.com (Katherine Boyarsky)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-work-a-room2015-08-01T12:00:00Z6 Simple Ways to Tap Into the Power of Influencer Marketinghttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/influencer-marketing-power
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/influencer-marketing-power" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Influencer-Marketing.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>Did you know that just <strong><a href="http://traackr.com/blog/2012/05/we-are-all-part-of-the-influential-3/">3% of people generate 90% of the impact online</a></strong></p>
<p>Considering this alarming statistic, it should come as no surprise that leveraging the power of this select group of influencers serves as a highly valuable strategy for businesses looking to expand their reach.</p>
<p>To help you get familiar with the concept of influencer marketing, HubSpot teamed up with&nbsp;with influencer marketing platform, <a href="http://traackr.com/">Traackr</a>, to create <a href="http://hubs.ly/y0-46z0"><em>The Content Marketer's Guide to Influencer</em> <em>Marketing</em></a>. This free guide has everything you need to help you identify the right influencers, perform outreach, and leverage these relationships to grow your business.</p><p><img height="315" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Influencer-Marketing.png" width="761"></p>
<p>Did you know that just <strong><a href="http://traackr.com/blog/2012/05/we-are-all-part-of-the-influential-3/">3% of people generate 90% of the impact online</a></strong></p>
<p>Considering this alarming statistic, it should come as no surprise that leveraging the power of this select group of influencers serves as a highly valuable strategy for businesses looking to expand their reach.</p>
<p>To help you get familiar with the concept of influencer marketing, HubSpot teamed up with&nbsp;with influencer marketing platform, <a href="http://traackr.com/">Traackr</a>, to create <a href="http://hubs.ly/y0-46z0"><em>The Content Marketer's Guide to Influencer</em> <em>Marketing</em></a>. This free guide has everything you need to help you identify the right influencers, perform outreach, and leverage these relationships to grow your business.</p>
<p>But why stop there?</p>
<p>Below you'll find six must-try ways to get influencers to share your content so you can get more impact from each asset you create.</p>
<h2><span class="content-post__body"><span>6 Ways to Get Influencers Sharing Your Content</span></span></h2>
<h3>1) @Mention them.</h3>
<p>If your content is helpful, inspiring, and relevant to the influencer's audience, mentioning their Twitter handle in your social post is often enough to grab their attention and potentially earn yourself a retweet. If the content is about them, your chances are even higher.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In an effort to capture the attention of content marketing guru <a href="https://twitter.com/annhandley">Ann Handley</a>, <a href="https://shareaholic.com/">Shareaholic</a> simply mentioned her&nbsp;book, <em>Content Rules</em>, in their tweet. In return, she retweeted it to her 221,000+ followers, creating an opportunity for&nbsp;Shareaholic&nbsp;to reach a much larger audience than they would have without her support.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-06-18_at_14.57.33.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-06-18_at_14.57.33.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-06-18_at_14.57.33.png" width="509"></p>
<p>Knowing what influential experts in your field are interested in, engage with, and regularly share on their social profiles can help you both curate and produce content that will appeal to them.</p>
<p>To make this process easier, you'll need to&nbsp;start by doing some research. Working your way through their social profiles will help you gain a better understanding of their interests and sharing habits.</p>
<p>Then simply choose some of the topics they’ve been sharing, create awesome content around them, and drop the expert a quick message to let them know about it.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">2) Include them in a curated list.<span class="Apple-tab-span"></span><span></span></span></h3>
<p>A good way to create content that’s likely to get shared by thought leaders is to curate a list and&nbsp;include them in it. There's no denying that people have egos, and if you play to them, you’re likely to benefit.</p>
<p>A great example of how to approach this comes from&nbsp;Wordsteam founder <a href="https://twitter.com/larrykim">Larry Kim</a>. Back in March, Kim wrote an article for Inc.com on <a href="http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/20-digital-marketing-experts-to-follow-on-twitter.html">marketing experts to follow on Twitter</a>. Check it out:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="490" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-30_at_3.26.16_PM.png" width="594"></span></p>
<p>Not only is an article like Kim's easy to put together, but there's no denying the value of the potential sharing opportunities it aims to create.</p>
<p>To find out who the top players are in your industry you can look for lists such as the one mentioned above, or use an influencer management tool like <a href="http://ow.ly/PmnmI"><span class="s1">Traackr</span></a>, which provides users with a simplified way to keep tabs on their influencer engagements.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Once you’ve created your curated list post, be sure to send the mentioned influencer(s) a tweet to&nbsp;let them know. Not only is this is a good way to get their attention initially, but it also opens the door for continued&nbsp;conversation.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">3) Ask them to contribute to your blog.</span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body">There are many benefits that accompany getting an influencer to contribute a guest post on your blog. </span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Above all, you're getting great content for your blog that your audience is sure to love (and you don't have to write it). Not to mention, this type of contribution helps to build your blog's credibility --&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;if you can get a thought leader to post for you, you must be doing something right.&nbsp;But perhaps one of the most valuable benefits of influencer guest blogging is the fact that they are likely to share&nbsp;that post with their networks, which means a chance for you to reach to a whole new audience.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">To increase the likelihood that an influencer will agree to contribute to your blog, it's a good idea to focus on limiting the amount of work they actually have to do.&nbsp;</span>Interviewing experts is a great way to create great content without the expert having to actually write it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.zazzlemedia.co.uk/">Zazzle Media</a>,&nbsp;a marketing agency in the UK, publishes a monthly ‘Big Interview’ on their blog where they talk to thought leaders in the digital space. To attract the attention of a wider audience and increase their credibility, they asked <a href="https://twitter.com/annhandley">Ann Handley</a> for an interview, and she agreed.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-06-26_at_16.28.13.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-06-26_at_16.28.13.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-06-26_at_16.28.13.png" width="640"></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">&nbsp;4) Include their commentary or quotes.</span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Adding expert commentary or quotes to your long-form content serves as an effective strategy for adding credibility and inspiration to your content. Doing so allows the reader to feel like they're benefiting from the opinions and advice of top experts in that field, and as a result, they recognize the content as more valuable.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p>A great example of using expert commentary to make a data report more interesting is <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/content-marketing-success-2015">this content marketing report</a>&nbsp;HubSpot completed with <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/?utm_source=hubspot&amp;utm_medium=pdf&amp;utm_campaign=managing-content-2015">Smart Insights</a>. We included 12 experts’ opinions on what the data meant and in turn, each expert shared the report with their audience.</p>
<p>Below is an example of one of the comments we included from Head of SMB at Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/lav">Brian Lavery</a>:</p>
<p><img alt="Commntary.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Commntary.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Commntary.png" width="735">&nbsp;</p>
<p>You should try to weave their comments into the main body to ensure the content and story flows well. However, we recommend&nbsp;that you place them on a contrasting background to help them stand out.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For a similar effect, but for less commitment from the influencer, you can collect quotes from&nbsp;existing&nbsp;pieces of their content.&nbsp;Anytime you find a great line from an expert in an article or on Twitter, simply add them to a spreadsheet for future use. (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/101-awesome-marketing-quotes-21784865">Here are 101 awesome marketing quotes</a><span> we put into a SlideShare to get you started.)</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">When leveraging this approach, just be sure to link back to the original source and give the influencer a heads-up to let them know you've used it.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><em><strong>Pro tip:</strong> If you feature experts in your gated content, e.g. ebooks and reports, make sure to sell the value of their input on your landing page. Ask your influencers for their headshots and call them out under the main copy. They’ll appreciate the additional link back to their site or Twitter profile and it will help to persuade visitors to download the content.&nbsp;</em></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span>5) Host&nbsp;an AMA (Ask Me Anything).</span></span></h3>
<p>By getting an influencer to dedicate 30 minutes of their time to answer questions on Twitter, you can significantly grow your audience and brand awareness.&nbsp;All it takes is a good hashtag, a great influencer, and a solid promotion plan.</p>
<p>Here’s an example of a Twitter chat from <a href="http://www.truebridgecapital.com/">Truebridge Capital</a> who partnered up with Forbes to give advice on what it takes to be a venture capitalist -- a topic that was relevant and interesting to both of their audiences.</p>
<p><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-10_at_15.38.17.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-10_at_15.38.17.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-10_at_15.38.17.png" width="500"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">(Looking for some inspiration? Check out some of the awesome <a href="http://inbound.org/hub/ask-me-anything">AMAs featured on Inbound.org</a>.)</span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">6. Get a testimonial.</span></h3>
<p>By sharing an early version of your content with influencers before your main promotion, it gives you an opportunity to get a testimonial from them on how great the content is.</p>
<p>This testimonial can then be added to your landing page and promo assets, making your content even more compelling to download.&nbsp;Simply give them the content and ask for their feedback on the content or give them a "<span class="s2"><a href="https://clicktotweet.com/">lazy tweet</a>"&nbsp;</span>they can share with their network (and you can include on your landing page).&nbsp;</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="567" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Jordan-Sundberg-Tweet.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="594"></p>
<p>By monitoring keywords related to your offer on social, you can identify when influencers discover and share your content organically. For HubSpot customers, you can easily keep an eye out for these instances by <a href="http://knowledge.hubspot.com/social-media-user-guide/how-to-create-streams-in-the-social-monitoring-tool">creating custom streams using the Social Monitoring tool</a>.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: transparent;">I found this Tweet from </span><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffbullas">Jeff Bullas</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">, one of the world's leading content marketers, which recommended a SlideShare I created. I made sure to capture his tweet so that I could use his testimonial to further promote the content.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><img alt="Jeff_Bullas.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Jeff_Bullas.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Jeff_Bullas.png" width="618"></p>
<h2>Getting Started With Influencer Outreach</h2>
<p>Just remember, we often trust friends, colleagues and experts more than marketing and advertising.</p>
<p>Marketers who get this, devote time and resources to creating authentic&nbsp;relationships with the people who matter to their business. These people are the ones who influence your customers and shape your industry.</p>
<p>Your job is to find the most important people for your brand, whether they’re among your prospects, current customers, industry experts or passionate individuals.</p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-30622817-9a83-479b-96a2-f22079d493ac"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=30622817-9a83-479b-96a2-f22079d493ac&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide to influencer marketing" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/30622817-9a83-479b-96a2-f22079d493ac.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Finfluencer-marketing-power&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Content MarketingDailyFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTltoner@hubspot.com (Lisa Toner)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/influencer-marketing-power2015-07-31T16:00:00Z8 Creative Ways to Enhance Your Content Marketing With Visualshttp://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/28474/6-Creative-Ways-to-Make-Content-More-Visual.aspx
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<p>On the web, there are few things more discouraging than a big block of text. That's because humans are visual creatures -- we tend to gravitate toward content that is pleasing to the eye, and we're especially drawn to visuals that capture&nbsp;(and keep) our attention.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's no wonder that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/SocialMediaMarketingIndustryReport2014.pdf">70% of marketers</a> planned to increase their use of&nbsp;visuals in their <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide">content marketing</a> this year. Sometimes visuals are just a more effective and creative way to present information, data, or difficult-to-understand concepts.&nbsp;<span>After all, they don't say </span><em>"a picture is worth a thousand words"</em><span> for nothing.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/womans-eye.png" width="669"></span></p>
<p>On the web, there are few things more discouraging than a big block of text. That's because humans are visual creatures -- we tend to gravitate toward content that is pleasing to the eye, and we're especially drawn to visuals that capture&nbsp;(and keep) our attention.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's no wonder that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/SocialMediaMarketingIndustryReport2014.pdf">70% of marketers</a> planned to increase their use of&nbsp;visuals in their <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide">content marketing</a> this year. Sometimes visuals are just a more effective and creative way to present information, data, or difficult-to-understand concepts.&nbsp;<span>After all, they don't say </span><em>"a picture is worth a thousand words"</em><span> for nothing.&nbsp;<br></span></p>
<p>Adding visuals is not only a smart way to enhance the quality of your content -- but it's also proven to make your content marketing more effective.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">In fact, tweets with images receive <a href="https://blog.bufferapp.com/the-power-of-twitters-new-expanded-images-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-it">18% more clicks and 150% more retweets</a>, photo posts on Facebook brand pages account for <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Photos-Cluttering-Your-Facebook-Feed-Herersquos-Why/1010777">87% of total interactions</a>, and in a recent <a href="http://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-topics/content-strategies/2746-b2b-content-preferences-survey-buyers-want-short-visual-mobile-optimized-content.html#.VLfxHy7F_Cc">study by Demand Gen Report</a>,&nbsp;86% of buyers expressed some level of desire to access interactive/visual content on demand.&nbsp;I</span>f you need even more convincing to incorporate visuals into your content marketing strategy, there are <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy">even more stats where those came from</a>.</p>
<h3><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/marketers-crash-course-in-visual-content-creation">Download our free guide to learn more about how to use visuals in your content marketing.</a></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body">So are you ready to enhance your content with&nbsp;visuals? Here are some great ways to start incorporating visuals into your content marketing.</span></p>
<h2><span>Visual Content Marketing: 8 Ways to Visually Present Information &amp; Data</span></h2>
<h3>1) Include high-quality photos and images to attract attention to your content.</h3>
<p>What's the first thing&nbsp;that you noticed&nbsp;when you clicked through to this blog post? Probably the photo at the very top, right? And if you came across this post through social media or a subscriber email, that photo probably caught your eye in those channels, too.</p>
<p>If you incorporate no other visuals into a piece of blog or website content, make sure it at least has an attractive featured image. That way, you know your piece of content will be accompanied by an eye-catching visual when it gets shared on social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. And considering what we just told you about how much better visual content performs in social networks, I'm sure you can understand why.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body">(Tip: To make sure Facebook features your image prominently in the News Feed when users share links to your content, make sure the featured image you upload to your content is <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/sharing/best-practices#images">at least 600 x 315 pixels</a>.)</span></em></p>
<p><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/sharing/best-practices#images"><img height="392" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/links-with-images-on-facebook-1.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669"></a></p>
<p>When selecting&nbsp;a featured image for a piece of content, make sure you choose one that's relevant, high quality, and attractive (find more tips for choosing images for your content <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-post-image-selection-ht-list">here</a>). But most importantly,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/internet-copyright-law-failure">make sure you have the rights to use it</a>. There are a lot of <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/75-free-stock-photos-im-ht">free stock photos</a>&nbsp;out there that you can use; or you can purchase a stock photo subscription from a site like Thinkstock or iStockphoto.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">In addition to including a featured image, add photos and images throughout the body of your content to offer readers visual examples that support your copy. Just be that if you're using an image of an example you found on another site, you <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33098/How-Not-to-Steal-People-s-Content-on-the-Web.aspx">attribute it properly</a>.</span></p>
<h3>2) Use infographics to visualize a collection of data or information in an easily digestible way.</h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Infographics continue to be a highly shareable, traffic-driving content type.&nbsp;</span>In fact, in a recent <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-strategy-quality-quantity">content quality vs. quantity experiment</a> we did on the HubSpot Blog, infographic posts were&nbsp;one of our blog's best&nbsp;traffic-drivers. And according to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-topics/content-strategies/2746-b2b-content-preferences-survey-buyers-want-short-visual-mobile-optimized-content.html">Demand Gen Report’s 2014 Content Preferences Survey</a>,<strong>&nbsp;39% of B2B buyers said&nbsp;they share infographics in social media frequently</strong>.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">If the thought of creating your own infographic seems daunting, it doesn't have to be. We have a <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-create-beautiful-infographics">free guide to creating beautiful infographics</a>, plus&nbsp;<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-create-infographics-in-powerpoint">10 free infographic templates</a> you can download and use in PowerPoint. I've even used one to create a full infographic in under an hour -- <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-ppt-infographic-templates-designs-ht">check it out</a>.</span></span></span></p>
<p><img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/infographic-templates_2-1.png" style="width: 606px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p>But here's another secret -- the infographics you publish on your blog don't have to just be the ones you create yourself. In fact, the majority of the infographics we publish on this very blog aren't ours -- they're&nbsp;just high-quality infographics with&nbsp;content that is&nbsp;relevant to our audience. Just keep in mind that if you source an infographic from another website, you make sure you <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33098/How-Not-to-Steal-People-s-Content-on-the-Web.aspx">properly attribute the original creator</a>.</p>
<h3>3) Use data visualization to present data, information, or concepts in a more compelling way.</h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body">While infographics are a great visual content format for portraying a&nbsp;<em>collection&nbsp;</em>of data, sometimes you just&nbsp;want to visualize a&nbsp;data point or two.&nbsp;Maybe&nbsp;it's a statistic you're using to support an argument you're making in a blog post, or perhaps it's a data point you want to visualize for a slide in a presentation.</span></p>
<p>Charts, graphs, diagrams, scatter plots, heat maps (and <a href="http://www.datalabs.com.au/articles/15-most-common-types-of-data-visualisation/">so many more</a>) -- these are all great visualization tools to help you tell a more compelling story with your data, or put your data into perspective.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Here's an example of the latter. In a blog post I recently wrote about <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/historical-blog-seo-conversion-optimization">historical optimization</a>, I wrote about how, prior to our historical optimization efforts, <strong>46% of the monthly leads we generated from our blog came from just 30 individual blog posts</strong>. But in my opinion, the written stat alone didn't really do&nbsp;make as strong a statement I wanted it to. It needed more perspective. </span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">So I visualized the data using two pie charts.&nbsp;<span>The pie chart on the left shows the distribution of monthly leads we were generating, and the pie chart on the right shows the distribution of the number of total posts we had on our blog:</span></span></p>
<p><img height="250" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/hubspot-distribution-posts-leads-1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600"></p>
<p>Much more impactful, right?&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>Data visualizations can be as simple as this, or they can be a little bit more creative or complex. The following example is a more complex interactive data visualization from Column Five. Using <em>Forbes</em><span>’ "Top 50 Most Valuable Sports Franchises 2014" list, the interactive visualization enables users to see the number of years each team has competed in addition to the&nbsp;number of championships they've won, offering a more complete look at&nbsp;the each team’s history and success as a franchise. (<a href="http://snip.ly/YlLR#http://www.columnfivemedia.com/work-items/interactive-most-valuable-sports-franchises">Check out the interactive version here.</a>)</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://snip.ly/YlLR#http://www.columnfivemedia.com/work-items/interactive-most-valuable-sports-franchises"><img height="373" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/valuablesportfranchises-1.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669"></a></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>Visualizations can also be used to explain certain concepts that may be difficult to understand from a text description alone. In the following example, Randall Munroe, creator of the <a href="http://xkcd.com/681/">webcomic XKCD</a>&nbsp;explains&nbsp;the concept of gravity wells via this&nbsp;straightforward illustration (<a href="http://xkcd.com/681_large/">click to enlarge</a>):&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://xkcd.com/681_large/"><img height="289" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/gravity_wells.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669"></a></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">To learn more about how to use data visualization in your content marketing -- and how to choose the right type of visualization for your data, <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-use-data-visualization">download our free guide here</a>.</span></p>
<h3>4) Experiment with animated GIFs to delight and inform your audience.</h3>
<p>All <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/22/tech/web/pronounce-gif/">controversy about proper pronunciation</a> aside, animated GIFs can be a delightful (and in certain cases, very useful) visual content tool. GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format, and if you're not familiar, the format&nbsp;can used to display&nbsp;animated images.</p>
<p>But don't take my word for it -- here's an example of a GIF we created&nbsp;to promote our ebook <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/increase-blog-readers">How to&nbsp;Get 100,000 Blog Readers</a>:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="335" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/100000_blog_readers.gif" width="669"></span></p>
<p>Delightful, right? But like I said, animated GIFs can serve more of a purpose than just sheer delight. They can be really functional, too.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Here's a great example of how a data visualization can be made even more valuable when displayed as an animated GIF. This GIF, from <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/next-america/#Two-Dramas-in-Slow-Motion">Pew Research Center</a>, uses animation to show how age demographics are shifting over time. It keeps the graphic more compact while still&nbsp;showing the changes in population over the years. What's more, this GIF is perfect to use in blog, email, and social media promotion of <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/next-america/#Two-Dramas-in-Slow-Motion">Pew Research Center's larger study</a>.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/pew-research-gif.gif" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 517px;"></p>
<p>Another great use for GIFs is to provide a preview of your downloadable&nbsp;content offers -- like ebooks, templates, or other downloads. The following is a GIF used to promote our <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/free-stock-photos-business">free business-themed stock photos download</a>. The GIF scrolls through a sampling of images to&nbsp;give&nbsp;potential downloaders a sense of what they'll get with the download.<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/free-stock-photos-business"><img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/free-business-stock-photos-2.gif" style="width: 602px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">The animated GIF can then be used on the <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/free-stock-photos-business">landing page for the stock photos download</a>, in <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/75-free-stock-photos-im-ht">blog posts promoting the offer</a>, and in email and social media promotion for the offer, too.</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Want to learn how to create an animated GIF of your own? <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-create-animated-gif-quick-tip-ht">Check out this blog post.</a></span></span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">5) Be smart about formatting to make your content more reader-friendly.&nbsp;</span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body">You have to admit that those big, discouraging chunks of text you often come across online would be much more palatable if they were broken up by some strategically placed headers and other types of formatting like bullets, bolded text, etc.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Want to make your content easier on the eyes? A little formatting can go a long way to make your content more reader-friendly. As much as you might not want to believe it, <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/06/how_people_read_online_why_you_won_t_finish_this_article.html">people rarely read blog posts, articles, and other types of online content in their entirety</a>. Instead, they skim and scan and read only the parts that interest them.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p>Make it easier for readers to do just that by breaking up your copy with clear, concise headers that help them discover the bits and pieces they really want to read.&nbsp;Check out how we did it on this very post as an example.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">If your content is on the longer side, you can also leverage the use of anchor links that enable readers to jump to different sections of a blog post or a longer form piece of content such as an ebook without having to scroll. Check out how we did it in <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marijuana-marketing">this post</a>, which includes a table of contents in the post's intro that allows readers to jump to different parts of the article:</span></span></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="321" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/jump-to-links-example.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="667"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/jump-link-same-page">Learn how to create anchor links here</a>.</span></span></p>
<h3>6) Create graphics to use as social media content.</h3>
<p>Remember those stats I mentioned in the beginning of this post? <strong>Tweets with images receive 18% more clicks and 150% more retweets</strong><span>.</span></p>
<p><span>Is it really any wonder why? Which of the following tweets draws<em> your</em>&nbsp;attention?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="690" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/tweets-with-images.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="521"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Case in point.</span></span></p>
<p><span>And images don't just take the cake on Twitter. <strong>Photo posts account for </strong></span><strong>87% of total interactions for Facebook brand pages</strong>, too.&nbsp;Seems like you might want to&nbsp;use visuals in your social media updates if you aren't already.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Consider creating custom graphics to accompany the links and status updates you share on social networks. Here are a couple&nbsp;examples of images we created to promote our survey for the 2015 State of Inbound Report and our <a href="http://www.inbound.com/inbound15/learn-more?utm_campaign=2015%20-%20HubSpot%20Blog&amp;utm_medium=CTA-%20Learn%20More&amp;utm_source=HubSpot%20Blog">upcoming INBOUND event</a>.</span></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="313" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/hubspot-social-media-images-1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" width="667"></p>
<p>If design isn't exactly your forte, we have 60 free templates and tips you can use to easily create visual social media content right in PowerPoint. <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/templates-shareable-graphics-social-media">Download them here</a>.</p>
<h3>7) Bring your content to life with video.</h3>
<p>When most people think of visual content, video tends to be the first thing that comes to mind. And rightfully so -- because video is such an engaging form of content, it's only increasing in popularity, especially in social media.</p>
<p>In fact, <a href="http://media.fb.com/2015/01/07/what-the-shift-to-video-means-for-creators/">Facebook reports</a> that o<span>n average, more than <strong>50% of people who come back to Facebook every day in the U.S. watch at least one video daily </strong>-- wh</span>ich could explain why&nbsp;the amount of video from people and brands in the News Feed<strong> has increased 3.6X year-over-year</strong>, globally.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">While video seems to be the golden ticket on social networks, it can also be used to supplement your website and blog content, too. Take the following video for example, which was used to within our <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-ppt-infographic-templates-designs-ht">blog post about how to create an infographic in under an hour</a> (yup -- the one we mentioned earlier!). The video supports the existing content in the post by offering another form of media for people who prefer video to text.</span></p>
<p><span></span></p>
<p><span>This video was then also repurposed and promoted on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/HubSpot/status/624797983478054912">Twitter</a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hubspot/videos/vb.6039999393/10153494701959394/?type=2&amp;theater">Facebook</a><span>. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!</span></p>
<p>Here are just a few ideas for how you can use video&nbsp;in your content marketing:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="content-post__body">Create brief <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/hubspot-how-to">how-to videos</a> to supplement blog content and share in social media.</span></li>
<li>Conduct video interviews to enhance <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33282/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Creating-Compelling-Case-Studies.aspx">customer case studies</a>.</li>
<li><span class="content-post__body">Create teasers for your downloadable content offers, as we&nbsp;did in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hubspot/videos/vb.6039999393/10153478862529394/?type=2&amp;theater">this example</a>.</span></li>
<li><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Use video to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hubspot/videos/vb.6039999393/10153497814404394/?type=2&amp;theater">promote registration for upcoming events</a>.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Because video production can be daunting if you're just starting out we recently released a new interactive guide that will teach you how to create high-quality videos for social media. <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/video-social-media-marketing">Check it out here</a>.</span></span></p>
<h3>8) Create SlideShare presentations to tell visual stories.</h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Did you know that SlideShare -- a popular website for sharing slideshows and presentation slides --&nbsp;has more than&nbsp;70 million professional users? It also happens to be one of the t<span>op 100 most-visited websites in the world. That's no small potatoes.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>Slideshows and PowerPoint presentations are another great form of visual content that can make great fodder for blog posts, landing pages, and social media content. You can use them in a variety of ways -- to promote your offers (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/20-quick-tips-to-make-blogging-way-easier">example</a>),&nbsp;provide quick, helpful tips (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/10-dos-and-donts-for-using-stock-photos-in-your-marketing">example</a>),&nbsp;or to stand alone as a really shareable piece of content that tells a story (<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/social-media-is-a-lot-like-sex">example</a>). </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>Here's another example of a really awesome SlideShare presentation from Velocity Partners, which has generated over 1.2 million views on SlideShare to date (and <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspiring-slideshare-presentations-for-marketers-list">here are several more</a>&nbsp;presentation to get your creative juices flowing).</span></span></span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="video-container-responsive">
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px;">
<strong> <a href="//www.slideshare.net/dougkessler/crap-the-content-marketing-deluge" title="Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge.">Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge.</a> </strong> from
<strong><a href="//www.slideshare.net/dougkessler">Velocity Partners</a></strong>
</div>
</div>
<p>Want to create SlideShare presentations of your own, but aren't sure where to start? Here are some resources that can help:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Templates: <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/powerpoint-template-for-killer-slideshare-presentations">5 Free Templates for Creating SlideShare Presentations in PowerPoint</a></span></span></li>
<li><span class="content-post__body">Blog Post Tutorial: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-create-slideshare-presentation-free-template-ht">How to Easily Create a SlideShare Presentation</a></span></li>
<li><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Ebook: <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/slideshare-marketing">The Step-by-Step Guide to SlideShare Marketing</a></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2011&nbsp;and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.</span></span></span></span></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-44654a75-a701-4ac2-b5e9-f3544f212bd5"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=44654a75-a701-4ac2-b5e9-f3544f212bd5&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn how to use data visualization" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/44654a75-a701-4ac2-b5e9-f3544f212bd5.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;</p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fblog%2Ftabid%2F6307%2Fbid%2F28474%2F6-Creative-Ways-to-Make-Content-More-Visual.aspx&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">DesignContent MarketingDailyFri, 31 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTpvaughan@hubspot.com (Pamela Vaughan)http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/28474/6-Creative-Ways-to-Make-Content-More-Visual.aspx2015-07-31T12:00:00ZTips For Re-training Your Media Sales Teamhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/re-training-your-media-sales-team
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="278" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/PhoneSalesman.jpg" width="671"></span></p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges facing&nbsp;media companies who adopt the inbound marketing methodology is re-training their sales team to sell inbound campaigns to advertisers.</p><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="278" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/PhoneSalesman.jpg" width="671"></span></p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges facing&nbsp;media companies who adopt the inbound marketing methodology is re-training their sales team to sell inbound campaigns to advertisers.</p>
<p>Because Inbound marketing is fundamentally different from many other traditional advertising options<span>—</span>like PPC&nbsp;or event sponsorships<span>—i</span>t's often pretty far out of your&nbsp;sales team's &nbsp;comfort zone.&nbsp;Even so, it's worth investing the time and effort into training your sales team on inbound, as the results will likely be much more valuable, long-lasting relationships&nbsp;with your advertisers.</p>
<p>Here are several ways you can make sure your sales team has everything they need to make the&nbsp;transition and grow your inbound marketing program.</p>
<h2>Update Your Team's Skill Sets</h2>
<p>Just as any sales person would get up to speed with a new product line, so should your media sales team when they shift to selling inbound sponsored content-based campaigns. Make sure they not only understand how this type of advertising differs from what advertisers are more familiar with or are currently using, but also can demonstrate how it's more beneficial.</p>
<p>Being able to convey concepts&nbsp;like using ads to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sponsored-content-that-doesnt-suck">provide&nbsp;educational&nbsp;value to readers</a>, and the fact that inbound leads are much more&nbsp;qualified than&nbsp;click-throughs&nbsp;that come from traditional ad campaigns, will be vital to their ability to sell. Your advertisers may not technically be marketers, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/why-publishers-need-to-think-like-marketers">but they need to think like one</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Practice What You Preach</h2>
<p>If your sales team is still using an&nbsp;outbound sales model to pitch inbound campaigns to advertisers, there’s going to be a big disconnect.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Hold your company's feet to the fire. If you want your sales team convince advertisers that inbound works, they should be able to prove that they can get&nbsp;at least some of their own MQLs through the techniques they're selling. Additionally, by getting them involved in that process, they’ll understand it better and gain&nbsp;first-hand experience to use in conversation with leads.</p>
<p>Imagine if someone said to you “I actually got your contact information through this exact process, let me tell you how it works.” That can be very compelling. One way to do this as a publisher would be to place a CTA&nbsp;on your own site, leading potential advertisers to a landing page with more information on inbound and sponsored content.</p>
<h2>Create Compelling Sales Materials</h2>
<p>Once your sales team is fully knowledgeable on inbound campaigns as they relate to advertisers, equip them with plenty of materials to close the deal.</p>
<p>Consider creating a&nbsp;template that can be customized for each client, highlighting the stages of a sponsored content&nbsp;campaign launch. Once you have a little experience under your belt, case studies can be a great tool for highlighting top-line stats as well as more qualitative procedures.&nbsp;Also, a&nbsp;short guide or one-pager on Inbound Marketing can be&nbsp;a great piece of material for leads to bring back to their internal teams and decision makers.</p>
<p>Don't forget, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/unify-your-publishing-database-to-turbocharge-your-roi">your website and audience are one of your most valuable assets</a>. Compile data provided to you from&nbsp;self-identified forms, and create user profiles that demonstrate who your audience is, what products they're interested, and where they are in the buyer's journey.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Allow Your Sales Team to Incentivize Advertisers</h2>
<p>Especially when your sales team is new to selling inbound campaigns, it may be helpful to allow them the opportunity to offer potential advertisers an incentive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For instance, MQLs are what most advertisers want out of a campaign, and preferably with the highest ROI possible on their spend. What if your sales team were to offer a 30-day free trial or discount on their first sponsored content campaign to prove both&nbsp;quality of leads and cost per lead? This could be particularly helpful if the sales team is converting an existing PPC advertising relationship to a&nbsp;sponsored content-based one.</p>
<h2>Redefine and Report on Success</h2>
<p>Instead of focusing your sales pitch on clicks, impressions, or placement, shift the conversation by defining the value-add concepts that make those variables attractive in the first place. Instead, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers-measuring-success">sell the things marketers and advertisers really care about</a><span>—MQLs,&nbsp;</span>sales pipeline, and revenue generated. By making the connection between your sponsored content, the type<em>&nbsp;</em>of leads&nbsp;it will generate,&nbsp;and the actions those leads take,&nbsp;you’re closer to answering the advertiser’s question of “how does this affect my bottom line”.</p>
<p>Back these theoretical offerings with numbers from real past campaigns. Passing along these stats not only demonstrates how you measure success, but also the the transparency of your media company in delivering campaign results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Re-training your sales team is a necessary step when adopting an&nbsp;inbound marketing approach. While it’s not an easy task by any means, these suggestions will get your team a lot closer to closing new (and more valuable) deals for your publication.</p>
<p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide: your database sucks" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fre-training-your-media-sales-team&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">MediaFri, 31 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTmiadone@hubspot.com (Matt Iadone)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/re-training-your-media-sales-team2015-07-31T11:00:00Z4 Genius Tactics for Increasing Ecommerce Saleshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/genius-tactics-increasing-ecommerce-sales
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/genius-tactics-increasing-ecommerce-sales" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/increase_ecommerce_sales.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>Nothing about running an ecommerce website is straightforward and easy. The goal is, of course, to present a product, entice buyers to purchase, and then process the payment. This is how even the most basic ecommerce site should run. For those that really want to increase sales through the <a href="http://www.shopify.com/blog/8920983-6-psychological-triggers-that-win-sales-and-influence-customers">use of psychology</a> and maybe even a little wheedling, there are some other tactics you can adopt.</p>
<h2></h2><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/increase_ecommerce_sales.jpg" width="669"></span></p>
<p>Nothing about running an ecommerce website is straightforward and easy. The goal is, of course, to present a product, entice buyers to purchase, and then process the payment. This is how even the most basic ecommerce site should run. For those that really want to increase sales through the <a href="http://www.shopify.com/blog/8920983-6-psychological-triggers-that-win-sales-and-influence-customers">use of psychology</a> and maybe even a little wheedling, there are some other tactics you can adopt.</p>
<h2>A/B Testing</h2>
<p>Absolutely every aspect of your site could be <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/ab-testing-introduction/">tested for improvement</a>, including images, headlines, product descriptions, and even the overall design. Even if you think you’re already doing well with your current website collateral, there’s always room for improvement.</p>
<p>Before you start changing everything on your website to see what sticks, stop and create a battle plan. If you change everything at once, you won’t know what’s effective and what’s not. Plan two weeks for each change so you can gather enough data to make a decision. Then start with one component at a time. You could test something every two weeks and still find room for improvement years down the road.</p>
<h2>Social&nbsp;Media</h2>
<p>Speaking of social media, are you sure you’re using it to the best of your ability? What if you could keep an eye on what people are saying about your company and your products on all your social media outlets? With <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/products/social-inbox">social inbox</a>, you can. You’ll receive a notice any time you’re mentioned, which then gives you the opportunity to follow up.</p>
<p>Use this feature to provide stellar customer service when buyers have a complaint or just answer questions when visitors ask. If you really want to have some fun, respond to even the most ridiculous of mentions with your own special brand of humor. Your customers will love you.</p>
<h2>Heat Mapping</h2>
<p>What if you could track the parts of your website where buyers hung out for a while? Would that help you provide better information for the next time they stopped by? With heat mapping, you can keep an eye on the pieces of your website that visitors really love. Scrolling and clicking information come together to give you a full picture of what your buyers really want to see.</p>
<p>You can also track where your visitors come from and how long they hang around. In other words, if you use your social media for marketing, you can discover how many clicked on your offer and how long they stayed. This helps you determine which social media outlets you should focus on.</p>
<h2>Exit Lightboxes for Lead Generation</h2>
<p>The truth is that <a href="/ecommerce/ecommerce-cart-abandonment-recovery-emails">99% of first-time visitors</a> to your ecommerce site have no intention of making a purchase. You can accept this statistic and hope to get them the next time they stop by, or you can do something about it.</p>
<p>An exit lightbox with one last offer can be added to your site for last-minute lead generation. Some sites generate a pop-up the moment a customer enters the site. The exit lightbox instead pops up just before customers bounce. By providing the possibility of later savings, you might just convince those visitors to give you contact information so they can stay on top of things. If they’re interested enough to stop by the first time, potential discounts could bring them back and finish the job.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As you can see, these tools go a lot further than just offering products and accepting payments. If you’re ready to step things up a bit, consider any of the tools listed above. If you already use some version of these tactics, let us know how they work for you. We’d love to know if you see more sales as a result.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a&amp;pid=53"><img alt="get a free HubSpot trial for ecommerce" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="Subscribe to " class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgenius-tactics-increasing-ecommerce-sales&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceFri, 31 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTmjacobson@hubspot.com (Morgan Jacobson)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/genius-tactics-increasing-ecommerce-sales2015-07-31T11:00:00ZThe 20 Best Sites for Wasting Time on the Internethttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/surf-internet-websites
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/surf-internet-websites" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/waste-time-on-internet.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
</div>
<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>There's a lot of content out there about productivity -- everything from&nbsp;hacks to shortcuts to tips and tricks for how to get more done in less time. It's all about the sprint, the checking things off the lists&nbsp;as quickly as possible, and the downloading of software that'll block out any and all distractions.</p>
<p>But what about those times when you just want to surf the internet aimlessly? Hey, no one can be totally productive all the time.</p><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/waste-time-on-internet.jpg" width="669"></span></p>
<p>There's a lot of content out there about productivity -- everything from&nbsp;hacks to shortcuts to tips and tricks for how to get more done in less time. It's all about the sprint, the checking things off the lists&nbsp;as quickly as possible, and the downloading of software that'll block out any and all distractions.</p>
<p>But what about those times when you just want to surf the internet aimlessly? Hey, no one can be totally productive all the time. In fact, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/science-productivity">studies have shown</a> that taking deliberate breaks after periods of work is&nbsp;<em>better&nbsp;</em>for productivity.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">The question is, how do you spend those breaks? You could check your email, but that still counts as working. You could check Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, but&nbsp;there's something so mundane about&nbsp;<span>haphazardly&nbsp;</span>scrolling through your&nbsp;peripheral friends'&nbsp;photos.</span></p>
<p>We have a few better ideas. Here's a shortlist of the most wonderfully entertaining places to waste time on the internet outside of email and social media. Get ready to bookmark your favorites.</p>
<h2>20 of the Best Sites For Wasting Time on the Internet</h2>
<h3><span class="content-post__body">1)&nbsp;<a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/">WaitButWhy</a></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="167" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/wait-but-why.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></p>
<p>WaitButWhy is one of my favorite places to spend time on the internet. Every week or so, a guy named Tim Urban churns out one,&nbsp;really long, really awesome article. (Seriously, they're canonical. You can kill a lot of time reading just one of them.)</p>
<p>His articles are&nbsp;always fascinating, in-depth, and really well written.&nbsp;His writing style is the perfect mix of informative and humorous -- making topics <a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-paradox.html">like the Fermi Paradox</a>&nbsp;(the what?) approachable for someone like me who'd never heard of it before in my entire life.&nbsp;He writes about&nbsp;relationships, religion, outer space ... pretty much everything.</p>
<p>My favorite posts of his include "<a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/04/everything-dont-know-tipping.html">Everything You Don't Know About Tipping</a>," "<a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/01/the-great-perils-of-social-interaction.html">The Great Perils of Social Interaction</a>," &nbsp;and "<a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/life-weeks.html">Your Life in Week</a>" (which has some awesome graphics in it, by the way). He even wrote <a href="http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html">a great post on why procrastinators procrastinate</a>,&nbsp;which anyone reading this article&nbsp;might want to check out.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">2) <a href="http://games.sense-lang.org/EN_BalloonG.php">Sense-Lang's Balloon Typing Game</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img alt="balloon-typing-game.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" height="307" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/balloon-typing-game.jpg" style="width: 550px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="548"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="content-post__body" style="font-size: 12px;">Image Credit: <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/10/07/improve-typing-speed/">Mashable</a></span></em></p>
<p>Hey, it's not a total waste of time if you're practicing your typing skills, right? I've spent way too much time&nbsp;playing online typing games and trying to beat my words-per-minute records. There are a lot of typing games out there, but Sense-Lang's Balloon Typing Game is one of the simplest. Balloons with letters on them&nbsp;float down your screen, and your job is to burst them by hitting the right key before they reach the bottom. If you're looking for more of a challenge, check out their <a href="http://race.sense-lang.org/">car racing game</a>.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">3)&nbsp;<a href="http://mentalfloss.com/">Mental Floss</a></span></span></span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="63" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/mental-floss.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></p>
<p>Mental Floss is a&nbsp;super&nbsp;addicting online magazine with articles covering a really wide range of topics. Their articles are really well written, really well researched, and usually on topics that don't get a lot of airtime.</p>
<p>For example, in their "Big Questions" section, they tackle weirdly intriguing&nbsp;questions like <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/22573/why-do-shells-sound-ocean">why shells sound like the ocean</a> and <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/64654/why-are-yawns-contagious">why yawns are contagious</a>.&nbsp;Readers can even&nbsp;submit their own big questions.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/mental-floss-submit-a-question.png" style="width: 669px;"></span></span></p>
<p>Not to mention, I love the way <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/about-us">they describe themselves</a> -- it's quite fitting:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>mental_floss magazine is an intelligent read, but not too intelligent. We're the sort of intelligent that you hang out with for a while, enjoy our company, laugh a little, smile a lot and then we part ways.&nbsp;<span>Great times. And you only realize how much you learned from us after a little while.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><span>Like a couple days later when you're impressing your friends with all these intriguing facts and things you picked up from us, and they ask you how you know so much, and you think back on that great afternoon you spent with us and you smile.</span></span></span></p>
<p>And then you lie and say you read a lot.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>4)&nbsp;<a href="http://xkcd.com/">xkcd</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="262" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/xkcd.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>If</span>&nbsp;you're into nerdy humor even the littlest, tiniest bit, there's a lot to love about xkcd. Each post features a short, stick-figure comic strip on&nbsp;humor about&nbsp;technology, science, mathematics, and relationships.&nbsp;<span>The guy behind it is&nbsp;</span><span>Randall Munroe, who&nbsp;</span><span>worked on robots at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia before </span><span>starting</span><span>&nbsp;this blog.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><a href="http://www.xkcd.com/706/">Below&nbsp;is an example</a> of one of his comic strips. (He always includes a joke in the comic strip image's alt text, so if you look at the strips on the xkcd website, be sure to hover your mouse over the image to catch those jokes.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="197" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/xkcd-freedom.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span class="content-post__body" style="font-size: 12px;">Image Credit: <a href="http://www.xkcd.com/706/">xkcd</a></span></em></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">5) <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/">The Oatmeal</a></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="67" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/the-oatmeal.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></p>
<p>The Oatmeal is another one of my absolute favorite places to spend time online. It's a huge library of awesome content -- some comprised entirely of graphics.&nbsp;Even if you've read everything already, it's the kind of stuff you can read over and over again.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Some of my favorite posts include "<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/working_home">Why Working From Home is Both Awesome and Horrible</a>," "<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/angler">How the Male Angler Fish Got Completely Screwed</a>" (I think I legitimately cried laughing when I first read that one), and a whole manner of grammar-related posts like "<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/misspelling">Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling</a>" and "<a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/who_vs_whom">How and Why to Use 'Whom' in a Sentence</a>."</span></span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span>6)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.supercook.com/">Supercook</a></span></span></h3>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="497" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/supercook.png" style="width: 200px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><span>If you want to surf the internet in a semi-productive way -- but not so productive that you actually have to leave the house -- then check out&nbsp;Supercook. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><span>Here's how it works: You tell it which ingredients you have in stock in your home, and it'll give you a big list of recipes you can make using just those ingredients. It's a fun way to stay thrifty, clean out the fridge,&nbsp;</span></span></span></span>and make sure food doesn't go to waste.</p>
<h3>7)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/">BuzzFeed "Comments"&nbsp;Sections</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="78" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/buzzfeed.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>You already know&nbsp;BuzzFeed is a great place to waste time on the internet, but we're looking beyond the actual article here. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Scroll down to the comments section of any article for a wildly entertaining showcase of the crazy stuff people are saying. It's especially entertaining to read the comments under seemingly benign topics that shouldn't make people irate, but do anyway.</span></span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span>8)&nbsp;<a href="http://the-toast.net/">The Toast</a></span></span></h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="171" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/the-toast.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></p>
<p>If you're into great (and hilarious) fiction writing, then you'll definitely want to bookmark this site. Every day, writers&nbsp;<span>Nicole Cliffe and Mallory Ortberg publish a post on "</span><a href="http://the-toast.net/about/">everything from</a> literary characters that never were to female pickpockets of Gold Rush-era San Francisco."</p>
<p>To get an idea of whether it's up your alley, then read their post&nbsp;"<a href="http://the-toast.net/2014/05/22/seth-macfarlane-human-male/">A Day in the Life of Seth MacFarlane, Human Male (Definitely Not a Swarm of Hyper-Alert Bees and a Metal Jaw.)</a>" (It's just so good.)</p>
<h3>9)&nbsp;<a href="http://babyanimalcams.com/">Baby Animal Cams</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="172" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/baby-animal-cams.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></p>
<p>Puppies. Kittens. Chicks.&nbsp;<em>Sea otters.&nbsp;</em>I have this website bookmarked for whenever I need a pick-me-up. You can search for the species you want to watch, and then check out a stream from houses, shelters, and aquariums in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. I've spent some quality time fawning over&nbsp;<a href="http://babyanimalcams.com/golden-retriever-puppies/">these golden retriever puppies</a>.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">10)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zillow.com/">Zillow</a></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="285" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/zillow.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>It's fun to check out real estate in areas you might want to live -- and it's just as fun to check it out in places you'll probably never live (but would love to in a dream world). Go ahead and explore what's out there. You can set up saved searches -- some more realistic than others -- to relive your&nbsp;discoveries later.</span></span></span></span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">11) <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/views/u/0/streetview?gl=us">Google Maps Street View</a></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="173" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/google-maps.png" width="604"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><span>In the same vein as Zillow, it's wildly entertaining to go to Google Maps and zoom in on the&nbsp;street view in random places around the world. It's so strange and thrilling to see what life was like at a random moment in time, on a random street somewhere you may never visit in your lifetime.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><span>I recommend <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@48.804541,2.12013,3a,75y,25.43h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s17LYVJMPu3wMRFiCW8pdGA!2e0!3e4!7i13312!8i6656">the Palace of Versailles</a> in France,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/maps?ll=28.002726,86.852628&amp;spn=0.169146,0.340576&amp;layer=c&amp;cbp=12,22.31,,0,2.54&amp;panoid=1xIrp-HT--S1KTJhxZ0GbQ&amp;t=m&amp;cbll=28.002726,86.852628&amp;z=12">Mount Everest Base Camp</a> in Nepal, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@46.414384,10.013947,3a,75y,151.78h,90.76t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s9WgYUb5quXDjqqFd3DWI6A!2e0!3e5!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en">the Swiss Alps</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/heron+island+resort/@-23.442896,151.906584,3a,75y,332.33h,78.32t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m5!1sCWskcsTEZBNXaD8gG-zATA!2e0!3e2!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xf9c543b5a04bbd92!6m1!1e1?hl=en">the Great Barrier Reef</a> off the coast of Australia (yes, they have underwater cameras.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">12)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.howstuffworks.com/">HowStuffWorks</a></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="65" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/how-stuff-works.png" style="width: 669px;" width="604"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>This website is dedicated entirely to -- you guessed it -- how things work.&nbsp;And by "things," they mean&nbsp;<em>everything</em> -- from&nbsp;airbags to regenerative medicine to velocipede carousels.&nbsp;</span></span>They've covered so much on this website, it'll be hard to run out of things to read about.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>Plus, they have a whole bunch of really cool&nbsp;podcasts that have branched off the main site over the years and are worth checking out, like "<a href="http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/">Stuff You Should Know</a>," "<a href="http://www.brainstuffshow.com/">BrainStuff</a>," and "<a href="http://www.stuffmomnevertoldyou.com/">Stuff Mom Never Told You</a>."</span></span></span></p>
<h3>13)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theonion.com/">The Onion</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="99" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/the-onion.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></p>
<p>If you haven't spent some quality time reading the online satirical newspaper&nbsp;<em>The Onion,&nbsp;</em>then you're seriously missing out on a good laugh. (And you've kind of been living under a rock.) But seriously, I sometimes forget how consistently hysterical the articles are.</p>
<p>The publication started in 1988 and they've managed to successfully maintain a high standard for humor and writing ever since.&nbsp;Their headlines are laugh-out-loud&nbsp;funny in and of themselves -- from&nbsp;"<a href="http://www.theonion.com/graphic/free-thinking-cat-shits-outside-the-box-8945">Free-Thinking Cat Sh**s Outside the Box</a>" to&nbsp;"<a href="http://www.theonion.com/article/archaeological-dig-uncovers-ancient-race-of-skelet-932">Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race of Skeleton People</a>" to "<a href="http://www.theonion.com/blogpost/find-the-thing-youre-most-passionate-about-then-do-31742">Find the Thing You're Most Passionate About, Then Do It On Nights and Weekends For the Rest of Your Life</a>."</p>
<p>Of course, their headlines being hilarious makes sense, seeing as the headline is where each story begins.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/348/tough-room">This awesome episode</a> of NPR's&nbsp;<em>This American Life</em>&nbsp;gives you a really cool peek into <em>The Onion</em>'s editorial&nbsp;process.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">(<strong>Bonus:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.clickhole.com/">ClickHole</a>, their sister website that makes fun of Upworthy-style viral content on the internet, is another great place to waste some time.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">14)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="264" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/wikipedia.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>You didn't think I'd write a post on where to waste time on the internet&nbsp;without including Wikipedia, did you? Of course not.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span>You've gotta love&nbsp;spiraling into the proverbial Wikipedia black hole: Look up one thing, and then check out something that's interlinked to it. Before you know it, you'll have charted the entire Russian Revolution. (An actual glimpse into my colleague <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/author/corey-eridon">Corey</a>'s Sunday morning.)</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">If you want to get more involved while wasting time online, remember Wikipedia is&nbsp;based on a model of openly editable content -- as in,&nbsp;</span><em>anyone</em> can edit any unprotected page. So if you're into editing and updating content in your free time,&nbsp;it's&nbsp;yours to edit. (As long as you follow <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ten_Simple_Rules_for_Editing_Wikipedia">their guidelines</a>.)</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">15)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ocearch.org/#SharkTracker">OCEARCH Shark Tracker</a></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="60" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/shark-tracker.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Tracking sharks as they swim around the ocean may not be the most conventional way to waste time on the internet ... but it might be the coolest. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>The Track Sharker tool by Marine Research Group OCEARCH lets you track tagged sharks -- who all have names, by the way -- as they travel all over the world. You can even zoom in to a specific&nbsp;</span></span>location to see which sharks are hanging out there and where they've been swimming and traveling for the past year. Go, Leviticus, go!</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span>16)&nbsp;<a href="http://giphy.com/">Giphy</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="116" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/giphy.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></p>
<p>When you need to find the perfect GIF, you can't just stop at the first result you get for "dancing"&nbsp;or "awkward"&nbsp;or "animals being jerks." I could spend (... and have spent) hours on Giphy looking for juuust the right GIF. How long do you think it took my colleague&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/author/niti-shah">Niti</a> to come up with all ten of the ones <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/things-email-marketers-relate-to">in this post</a>?&nbsp;WORTH IT.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">17)&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.org/web/">Way Back Machine</a></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="161" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/way-back-machine.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></p>
<p>Feeling nostalgic?&nbsp;Check out what websites have looked like over the years via Internet Archive's famous Way Back Machine. It lets you pick a date and see exactly what the website looked like at that time.&nbsp;</p>
<p>(If you want to take just a quick look,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/famous-sites-infographic">here's a roundup</a>&nbsp;of what 9 famous websites used to look like. The images were all taken from the Way Back Machine.)</p>
<h3>18)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/">Apartment Therapy</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="53" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/apartment-therapy.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></p>
<p>If you're even a little bit of a fan of home decor or DIY projects, this is a website you might find yourself spending hours and hours on. There's a ton of awesome visual and written content on here. My favorites include&nbsp;their&nbsp;<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/categories/before_after">"before and after" series</a>, their <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/categories/small_spaces">"small spaces" series</a>,&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/categories/tours">the tours</a> of people's actual apartments and homes.</p>
<p>Plus, they have a <em>ton&nbsp;</em>of helpful&nbsp;articles giving tips on everything from how to redo your stairs to ideas for using&nbsp;that awkward space above your fridge. There's no shortage of useful and fun information on here, making it prime for endless browsing.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">19)&nbsp;<a href="http://lifehacker.com/">Lifehacker</a></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="49" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lifehacker.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>Lifehacker is a hub of productivity tips, tricks, and downloads. It's basically&nbsp;<span style="background-color: transparent;">an archive of&nbsp;all the information&nbsp;it would be incredibly useful to know, but nobody every really teaches you. Aside from productivity, they also cover topics such as money-saving tips, clever uses for household items, and so on.</span></p>
<p><span style="background-color: transparent;">For example, did you know you can </span><a href="http://lifehacker.com/the-best-things-you-can-do-at-costco-without-a-membersh-1591680306" style="line-height: 1.625; background-color: transparent;">buy alcoholic beverages at Costco without a membership</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">? Or that you can </span><a href="http://lifehacker.com/how-to-peel-a-mango-in-under-10-seconds-1603398060" style="line-height: 1.625; background-color: transparent;">peel a mango in under 10 seconds</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">? Or that there are </span><a href="http://lifehacker.com/how-long-to-nap-for-the-biggest-brain-benefits-1251546669" style="line-height: 1.625; background-color: transparent;">four lengths of naps</a><span style="background-color: transparent;"> that'll benefit you in different, very specific ways?&nbsp;</span>Along with the fun articles, they have some pretty awesome, in-depth articles, like <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5715912/how-to-plant-ideas-in-someones-mind">this one on how to plant ideas in someone's mind</a>, as well as helpful listicles like <a href="http://lifehacker.com/339474/top-10-obscure-google-search-tricks">the top ten obscure Google Search tricks</a>.</p>
<p>There's so much content on&nbsp;there that it can be hard to find posts on specific topics.&nbsp;Use <a href="http://lifehacker.com/lifehacker-the-index-1524507989">the Lifehacker Index</a>&nbsp;for an introduction to their top-performing posts and tips on how to find posts on any topic on the website.</p>
<h3><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">20)&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.org/details/msdos_Oregon_Trail_Deluxe_The_1992">The Oregon Trail</a></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="278" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/oregon-trail-game.png" style="width: 669px;" width="666"></span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Here's a little gift for those of you who made it to the end of this post: Internet Archive&nbsp;-- yes, the same one responsible for the Way Back Machine&nbsp;-- made it possible for people to PLAY THE COMPUTER GAME "OREGON TRAIL" AGAIN.&nbsp;</span></span>I can practically hear all the Gen X'ers out there screaming with joy.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>If "Oregon Trail" isn't your cup of tea, the other games made available by Internet Archive include "Duke Nukem," "Street Fighter," "Burger Blaster," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," "The Lion King," and "Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer." <a href="https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos_games">Check out the full library here</a>.</span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">What are your favorite websites for wasting time on the internet? Share with us in the</span></span><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"> comments.</span></span></em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015 and get 25% off" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fsurf-internet-websites&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Pop CultureOffice LifeDailyFri, 31 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/surf-internet-websites2015-07-31T10:00:00ZThe 20 Weirdest Words Added to the Dictionary Because of Technologyhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/weird-tech-words-dictionary
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<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>Whether we like it or not,&nbsp;dictionaries are&nbsp;living, breathing documents, and new words are added to them regularly.</p>
<p>Although the Oxford English Dictionary editors get the final say, they actually <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-internet-changes-language">look to&nbsp;</a><em><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-internet-changes-language">us</a>&nbsp;</em>to dictate whether a word&nbsp;should be added.&nbsp;In other words, we have no one but ourselves to blame for all the weird words that make the cut&nbsp;every year.</p><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="278" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/weird-words-added-to-dictionary.jpg" width="671"></span></p>
<p>Whether we like it or not,&nbsp;dictionaries are&nbsp;living, breathing documents, and new words are added to them regularly.</p>
<p>Although the Oxford English Dictionary editors get the final say, they actually <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-internet-changes-language">look to&nbsp;</a><em><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-internet-changes-language">us</a>&nbsp;</em>to dictate whether a word&nbsp;should be added.&nbsp;In other words, we have no one but ourselves to blame for all the weird words that make the cut&nbsp;every year.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">But we&nbsp;can at least share the blame with technology. None of us would be saying "srsly" if we hadn't&nbsp;felt the urge&nbsp;to shorten words for text messages and emails. We wouldn't be voting anyone&nbsp;off the island if not for the television series&nbsp;<em>Survivor.</em>&nbsp;And, perhaps most importantly, there would be no need for the word "meatspace" without the existence of the virtual world. (One could argue there is still no need.)</span></p>
<p>Want to see what weird words&nbsp;were&nbsp;added to the OED&nbsp;thanks to internet slang and technology? Read on.</p>
<h2>20 Weird Words Added to the Dictionary Thanks to Technology</h2>
<h4>1)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/screenager">Screenager</a> (n.)</h4>
<p>A person in their teens or twenties who has an aptitude for computers and the internet.</p>
<p><em>"Clever games designers have worked out exactly how to push the buttons of screenagers in the way other media have failed to do."</em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body">2)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/meatspace">Meatspace</a> (n.)</span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body">The physical world, as opposed to the virtual world.</span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"I'd like to know a little more before we get together in meatspace."</span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">3)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/slacktivism">Slacktivism</a> (n.)</span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Actions performed via the internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, (e.g. signing an online petition or joining a campaign group on a social media website).</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"Such email alerts make slacktivism easy."</span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body">4)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/al-desko">Al desko</a> (adv. &amp; adj.)</span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body">While working at one's desk in an office (with reference to the consumption of food or meals).</span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"An al desko lunch."</span></span></em></p>
<h4>5)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/MOOC">MOOC</a> (n.)</h4>
<p>A free course of study made available over the internet to a very large number of people.</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body">"Anyone who decides to take a MOOC simply logs on to the website and signs up."</span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">6) <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/netiquette">Netiquette</a> (n.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></h4>
<p>The correct or acceptable way to use the internet.</p>
<p><em>"Should there be some kind of protocol or netiquette associated with directing large volumes of traffic to other websites?"</em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">7)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dox">Dox</a> (v.)</span></span></span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">To search for and publish private or identifying information about a particular individual on the internet, typically with malicious intent.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"Hackers and online vigilantes routinely dox both public and private figures."</span></span></span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">8)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/First-World-problem">First World problem</a> (n.)</span></span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">A relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration (implying a contrast with serious problems such as those that may be experienced in the developing world).</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"It's a First World problem, but still if you're staying at a 5-star resort you expect some decent service."</span></span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">9)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/srsly">Srsly</a> (adv.)</span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Seriously.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em>"Srsly though, I see where you're coming from."</em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">10)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cyberchondriac">Cyberchondriac</a> (n.)</span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">A person who compulsively searches the internet for information about particular real or imagined symptoms of illness.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"Everybody is terribly health-conscious these days -- it's not&nbsp;a&nbsp;surprise that many people are becoming cyberchondriacs."</span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">11)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/lamestream">Lamestream</a> (adj. &amp; n.)</span></span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">Used to refer contemptuously to the mainstream media.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"Why as the lamestream media been so silent on the issue?"</span></span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">12)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/gigaflop">Gigaflop</a> (n.)</span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">A unit of computing speed equal to one billion floating-point operations per second.</span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"He said the latest terascale supercomputing system has several hundred gigaflops of sustained power."</span></span></span></em></p>
<h4>13)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fat-finger">Fat finger</a> (n.)</h4>
<p>Used to refer to clumsy or inaccurate typing, typically resulting from one finger striking two keys at the same time.</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"The programming problem turned out to be a case of fat finger."</span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body">14)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/nom-nom">Nom nom</a> (exclamation)</span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Used to express pleasure at eating, or at the prospect of eating, delicious food.</span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"Chili and cornbread for dinner, nom nom!"</span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body">15)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/egosurf">Egosurf</a> (v.)</span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body">To search the internet for instances of one's own name or links to one's own website.</span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"I decided to take a break and do a little egosurfing."</span></span></em></p>
<h4>16)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/boyf">Boyf</a> (n.)</h4>
<p>A person's boyfriend.</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body">"She's just been dumped by her boyf."</span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">17)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/vote#m_en_gb0933550.020">Vote (someone or something) off the island</a>&nbsp;(v.)</span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">To dismiss or reject someone or something as unsatisfactory.</span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"When a CEO gets voted off the island, the CFO typically gets dumped, too."</span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">18) <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/phablet">Phablet</a> (n.)</span></span></span></span></span></h4>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">A smartphone having a screen which is intermediate in size between that of a typical smartphone and a tablet computer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">"A 3.5-inch screen is inadequate in a market that is trending toward phablets."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></p>
<h4><span class="content-post__body">19) <a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/woot">Woot</a> (exclamation)</span></h4>
<p>Used to express elation, enthusiasm, or triumph, especially in electronic communication.</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body">"I definitely get Fridays off, woot!"</span></em></p>
<h4>20)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/facepalm">Facepalm</a> (n.)</h4>
<p>A gesture in which the palm of one's hand is brought to one's face as an expression of dismay, exasperation, embarrassment, etc.</p>
<p><em><span class="content-post__body">"I'm pretty sure said friend now thinks Anne and I are dating -- facepalm!"</span></em></p>
<p>Facepalm is right.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;</span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fweird-tech-words-dictionary&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">BloggingPop CultureDailyThu, 30 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/weird-tech-words-dictionary2015-07-30T12:00:00ZHow to Write an Author Bio That Doesn't Suckhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-a-bio
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<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>If guest posting is part of your content distribution and promotion strategy, you’ve probably experienced this frustration.</p>
<p>Here’s what happens: You write a great article for a guest publication, and at the end, you’re compensated with a tiny, little paragraph about you.&nbsp;</p><p><span class="content-post__body"><img alt="How-to-write-a-bio" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/How_to_Write_a_Author_Bio.png" style="width: 761px;"></span></p>
<p>If guest posting is part of your content distribution and promotion strategy, you’ve probably experienced this frustration.</p>
<p>Here’s what happens: You write a great article for a guest publication, and at the end, you’re compensated with a tiny, little paragraph about you.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Unless you wrote the article for purely altruistic reasons, this paragraph, although little, is actually very important. Not only does it connect your name with the article, but it also provides space for links back to your website or social profiles.&nbsp;(Who wouldn't want that little bit of glory?)</p>
<p>But what are you really supposed to write in that little paragraph? How do you make your author bio compelling, powerful, <em>and</em> effective without a whole lot of space?</p>
<p>Read on. You’re about to find out.</p>
<h2><span class="content-post__body"><span>11&nbsp;Tips for Writing an Author Bio That Doesn't Suck</span></span></h2>
<h3>1) Write in the third person.</h3>
<p>Different publications will have different standards, but the general practice is to write your bio in the third person.</p>
<p>Readers will know that you’re writing in the third person ... and that’s okay. You can just come out and say it, like Mark John did:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="184" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Mark-Bio-Example.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">If you find that you start overusing “he” or “she,” try supplementing it with your name to improve the flow.</span></p>
<p><em>(Note: Some publications, like Forbes, require that your bio be in the first person.)</em></p>
<h3>2) Remember&nbsp;that it's not really about you.&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Even though this paragraph is allegedly “about you,” it’s actually not about you at all. It’s about your reader. Sure, you’re the <em>object</em>, but your reader is the <em>subject</em>.</p>
<p>Here’s how Matt Southern created a bio that focuses on him, while also focusing on the reader:&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="313" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Matt-Southern-Example.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>By&nbsp;explaining that he is in a position to help businesses, his bio serves as a nod to his readership.</span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Readers are the ones care about it, and act on it. Write for them.</span></p>
<h3>3) Establish credibility.</h3>
<p>Why are you qualified to write on this subject? Why should readers believe you?</p>
<p>Your bio should establish credibility. If you write, for example, on conversion optimization, you need to explain that you have some experience with conversion optimization.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you have academic degrees, list them, but only if it matters. Typically a bachelor’s degree is not considered outstanding enough to warrant a mention in your bio.</p>
<p><span>Forbes contributor&nbsp;</span>Ian Morris wrote an this article on Windows 10:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="147" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-29_at_12.06.55_PM.png" width="569">Why is he qualified to write on this subject?&nbsp;Because, as his bio explains, he “covers mobile, internet services and the good and bad of tech.”</span></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Ian-Morris-Forbes-Bio.png" style="width: 650px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<h3>4) Explain what you do.</h3>
<p>In social situations, people are interested in knowing "what you do."</p>
<p>Aware that this is a popular question to ask when you’re getting to know someone, think of your bio as an opportunity to answer it. After all, it’s a meaningful fact, and it deserves a line.</p>
<p>Patrick’s bio covers this&nbsp;in the opening sentence:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="184" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-29_at_1.26.31_PM.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></p>
<p>And Kiel does the same thing in his Harvard Business Review bio:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="104" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-29_at_1.26.40_PM.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></p>
<h3>5) Be personal ... if it’s appropriate.</h3>
<p><em>“Cat lover.” </em></p>
<p><em>“Coffee addict.” </em></p>
<p><em>“Avid outdoorsman.”</em></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>You’ll often read bios with little personal tidbits thrown in.&nbsp;</span></span>But is this okay? Is it smart?</p>
<p>A better question: Is it appropriate?</p>
<p>Not every publication is going to need information about your feline affection or love for craft beer. With that said, tailor your tidbits to the audience and be sure to keep them at a minimum.&nbsp;Readers are only marginally interested in your personal life -- this is not the place to divulge everything.</p>
<p>Kevan Lee of Buffer uses his bio to share his hobby: watching football.&nbsp;By placing this bit in the middle of his bio, he's able to show personality while front loading his credibility and closing with a CTA:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="154" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Kevan-Lee.png" width="569">And if it's not the time or place for personality, don't hesitate to keep things strictly professional, like Greg Finn:&nbsp;<br></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="166" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Greg-Fin-Bio-Example.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></span></span></p>
<h3>6) Focus on value.</h3>
<p>It’s tempting to turn your bio&nbsp;into a trophy case -- you’ve won awards, started a billion&nbsp;companies, been published in every awesome journal, etc.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But who cares?</p>
<p>Readers want to know what's in it for them.&nbsp;They may be impressed by your epic status, but they don’t <em>really</em> care unless it somehow connects with them.&nbsp;That’s where the idea of value comes in.</p>
<p>You want to write a bio that communicates what you can do for them.&nbsp;<span>Peep Laja of&nbsp;ConversionXL does this really well:</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="197" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Peep-Laja-Bio-Example.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="504"></span></span></p>
<p><span>Notice that final line: <em>“Peep can help your company grow via his conversion optimization agency.”</em></span></p>
<p>That’s the kind of value that will connect you with readers in meaningful ways.</p>
<h3>7) Don't be afraid to brag.</h3>
<p>If done right, bragging can be appropriate. (I will say, it’s much easier to brag if you’re doing it in the third person.)</p>
<p>So don't be afraid to toss out a few awards that you’re proud of. Just make sure that they’re relevant to the subject matter and the publication.</p>
<p>Barry Feldman recently wrote an article on Kissmetrics explaining how to get to the top of Google in 10 minutes.</p>
<p>Is this legit? Is Barry even for real?</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>As it turns out, yes, we can trust Barry’s article, because Barry bragged:</span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Barry-Feldman.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;Sounds trustworthy to me, wouldn't you agree?</p>
<h3>8) Avoid writing something&nbsp;obnoxiously long.</h3>
<p>Writing a super long bio&nbsp;makes you seem full of it. If all the other authors on the site have three lines, and you have thirty, this places your sense of self-importance front and center.</p>
<p>Richard Ridley, an award-winning author, recommends that you “keep it brief.” Here’s how <a href="https://www.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-1871">he explains it</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Brevity is the soul of wit. Even if you're William Shakespeare, you don't want to write an author bio that fills up the entire back cover. In an odd twist of logic, the more accomplished you are as an author, the shorter your author bio can be."</span></span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>You have an ego. That’s okay. Just don’t let it show <em>that</em> much. Here's a great example of a short-and-sweet bio from Orbit Media Studios' Andy Crestodina:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="191" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-29_at_12.42.45_PM.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></span></p>
<h3>9) Customize it.</h3>
<p>If the publication allows it, customize your bio. A universal&nbsp;bio that you copy/paste everywhere is okay, but you can squeeze a few more ounces of power out of your bio by tailoring it to your specific situation. HubSpot's own&nbsp;<span>Lindsay Kolowich does a great job customizing her bio:</span></p>
<p><span><img alt="lindsay-author-bio-example.png" class="alignCenter shadow" height="245" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lindsay-author-bio-example.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 550px;" width="548"></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">By fine-tuning it&nbsp;to resonate with the summer season, Lindsay's&nbsp;bio stands out against the generic messaging we've grown used to seeing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3>10) Create an accompanying&nbsp;CTA.</h3>
<p>The CTA is an omnipotent force in the marketing world, and it’s no different in your bio&nbsp;paragraph.</p>
<p>After reading your bio, you want your audience to do something. To start, hone in on what action you want them to take.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The most common techniques are following on Twitter or visiting your blog. And while these options are effective, you want to be sure that your CTA is strategic given the context in which they are presented.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For example, the author bio of Heather Hummel contains a link to her Amazon page, thus creating a source of possible sales:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="148" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Hummel-CTA-bio.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="569"></p>
<p>Not a bad idea, right?</p>
<h3>11) Steer clear of the word&nbsp;"freelance."</h3>
<p>Freelance writers are an exceptional group of people who are skillful, qualified, and expertly positioned to write great content. But with that said, I need to provide a warning ...</p>
<p>Being a freelance writer is not the best way to establish credibility. Often times, a “freelance writer” is understood as a generalist -- you may be good at writing, but are you good at the subject matter?</p>
<p>If you’re a freelance writer, you can say so in your bio, but take out the “freelance” and put a point on it. Here are some examples:</p>
<ul>
<li>Fred is a conversion optimization writer, specializing in split testing best practices and cognitive biases.</li>
<li>Angie, a Portland-based author, helps people unleash their inner interior designer.</li>
<li>As a marketing writer, Todd’s favorite place to publish uncensored marketing content is his own blog.</li>
</ul>
<p>The term “freelance” can sometimes weaken your bio, so avoid using it when possible.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Ready to Write?</h2>
<p>The best way to create a meaningful bio is to write it carefully and intentionally. Think about your readers, establish some credibility, and make it memorable. But go ahead and have some fun -- you want to prove that you’re human, too.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, your little bio matters. People care. They’re going to read it. Make it matter.</p>
<p>And please don’t judge me by my bio.</p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fhow-to-write-a-bio&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">BloggingProfessional DevelopmentDailyThu, 30 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTnp@neilpatel.com (Neil Patel)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-a-bio2015-07-30T10:00:00ZThe Non-Designer's Guide to Creating Better Blog Graphics [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/create-blog-graphics-easily
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/create-blog-graphics-easily" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/graphic-designer-at-work.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
</div>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p></p> <p>You may not be a designer by trade, but as a content marketer, it's your job to make sure you're creating content&nbsp;compelling enough to hit your&nbsp;traffic, lead generation, social sharing, and engagement goals.</p> <p><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/images-in-blog-posts-tips">Adding images to your blog posts</a> is one of the most important ways to get more readers, subscribers, and leads&nbsp;out of the content you spend so much time creating.</p></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><img alt="graphic-designer-at-work.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/graphic-designer-at-work.jpg" title="graphic-designer-at-work.jpg" width="761"></p> <p>You may not be a designer by trade, but as a content marketer, it's your job to make sure you're creating content&nbsp;compelling enough to hit your&nbsp;traffic, lead generation, social sharing, and engagement goals.</p> <p><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/images-in-blog-posts-tips">Adding images to your blog posts</a> is one of the most important ways to get more readers, subscribers, and leads&nbsp;out of the content you spend so much time creating.&nbsp;After all, did you know that&nbsp;<strong>articles with images get&nbsp;<a href="http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/28/6-powerful-reasons-why-you-should-include-images-in-your-marketing-infographic/">94% more total views</a>&nbsp;than articles without images?</strong></p> <p>Luckily, you don't have to be a designer to create awesome graphics for your blog posts.&nbsp;To get started,&nbsp;<a href="http://coschedule.com/blog/non-designers-blog-graphics-guide/">check out the infographic below from CoSchedule</a>. You'll learn basic tips for working in Photoshop, creating header images, and understanding what to visualize. The infographic also includes a list of great design resources available on&nbsp;the web.&nbsp;Take a look!</p> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcreate-blog-graphics-easily&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fblog-graphics-infographic.png&amp;description=The%20Non-Designer%26%23x27%3Bs%20Guide%20to%20Creating%20Better%20Blog%20Graphics%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="blog-graphics-infographic.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/blog-graphics-infographic.png" style="width: 669px;" title="blog-graphics-infographic.png" width="669"></p> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcreate-blog-graphics-easily&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fblog-graphics-infographic.png&amp;description=The%20Non-Designer%26%23x27%3Bs%20Guide%20to%20Creating%20Better%20Blog%20Graphics%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcreate-blog-graphics-easily&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">BloggingDesignDailyWed, 29 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/create-blog-graphics-easily2015-07-29T16:00:00ZWhat to Do When Your Prospect Takes a Strange Turn in the Buyer’s Journeyhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyers-journey-nurturing
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyers-journey-nurturing" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/twilight.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>[Cue Twilight Zone Music] There is another dimension beyond which is known to most marketers. It is a dimension that is vast and chaotic and as timeless as the sales process itself.</p>
<p>It is the middle ground between the introduction and the close, between engagement and disengagement, it lies between the deepest of our marketing fears and the heights of our marketing knowledge. This is the 4<sup>th</sup> dimension of the sales funnel. It is an area which we’ll call… The Sales Continuum.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/twilight.jpg" width="669"></span></p>
<p>[Cue Twilight Zone Music] There is another dimension beyond which is known to most marketers. It is a dimension that is vast and chaotic and as timeless as the sales process itself.</p>
<p>It is the middle ground between the introduction and the close, between engagement and disengagement, it lies between the deepest of our marketing fears and the heights of our marketing knowledge. This is the 4<sup>th</sup> dimension of the sales funnel. It is an area which we’ll call… The Sales Continuum.</p>
<p>We all have a concept of the sales funnel. It fits nicely into a very linear framework of time. The human mind loves this concept. We can easily process things that have a beginning, middle, and end. We attach these ideas to the sales funnel and imagine perfect scenarios where our top, middle, and bottom of funnel content is consumed in perfect order leading up to a sale.</p>
<p><strong>Submitted for your approval</strong>: Five scenarios about what happens, and what to do, when your prospect has taken a strange turn in the buyer’s journey.</p>
<h2>1)&nbsp;The Time Element</h2>
<p>Your prospect first came to your attention on a Monday. They downloaded all of your content on one of your top offerings. They requested a demo that same week and had a successful first call with your team. They asked for a proposal, it was sent out by the end of the week, and then… nothing.</p>
<p>You reach out to them and they’ve lost a bit of their initial interest. Was this the same prospect from the previous week? Were they under some form of mind control?</p>
<p>You find out that the project has been de-prioritized. They won’t be making a decision for six months. So what do you do?&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Reach back out and talk to your prospect</li>
<li>Map out a communication strategy</li>
<li>Ask if you can send them a reoccurring calendar invite to check back in</li>
<li>Provide them with content or articles that they might find useful</li>
<li>Connect with your prospect on LinkedIn</li>
</ul>
<p>On your follow up calls, see if things have shifted again. Ask them if you can provide them with anything else that would help them in their decision-making process. Make sure that you take every opportunity to ask about other potential projects where your organization might be able to help.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>2) Where is Everybody?</h2>
<p>Your prospect has vanished from the face of the Earth. Well, not literally, but they’re not answering your calls. You’ve tried to email them, and you’re not getting an out of office message. You’re pretty sure they’re still around. They’ve been receptive to your messages in the past, so what do you do?</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Vary your approach</strong> – If you’ve been talking to them in the afternoons, try reaching out to them early in the morning or vice-versa.</li>
<li><strong>Reach out beyond</strong> – If you’re in B2B, then your prospect is likely not the only person who works at their company. Reach out to other people at the prospect company who might be involved in the deal and try to get a read for what’s going on. See if there might be others who are interested in your offerings.</li>
<li><strong>Change your mode of communication</strong> – Depending on your relationship with the prospect, maybe you have options to tweet or text. If it’s not too old-school for you get out a pen and paper and send them a handwritten note of follow up.</li>
<li><strong>Relax</strong> – There is a good chance that they’re not ignoring you. People get busy and your priorities aren’t always theirs. Don’t risk the relationship by inundating them with constant and potentially desperate sounding messages.</li>
</ul>
<h2>3)&nbsp;Spur of the Moment</h2>
<p>Out of nowhere you get a request for a product or solution demo. The prospect has never been on your radar. It’s as if they’ve just arrived from another planet. They’re looking to make a decision very quickly. They’re also evaluating other options. It’s time to jump into action. Here are some rules for this kind of encounter:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Keep calm</strong> – They’ve done their research and have potentially been observing you from a distance for a while. Now it’s your time to prove to them that you know what you’re doing. Help them find out any additional details they need to help seal the deal.</li>
<li><strong>Determine the size of this Unidentified First Opportunity</strong> – Get an understanding of the time and resources you want to devote towards this new potential customer.</li>
<li><strong>Get to know these strange new beings</strong> - Dive in and do your research. Find out who your competition is. It’s time to play catch-up and get a better understanding of their needs and pain points.</li>
<li><strong>Take them to your leader</strong> – Depending on the size of the opportunity, you may have to get your sales leaders immediately involved to try to close the deal.</li>
</ul>
<h2>4)&nbsp;A Nice Place to Visit</h2>
<p>A prospect keeps downloading different top-of-the-funnel offers, they’ve subscribed to your blog, they follow you on social media, but they’ve never taken their engagement to the next level. They don’t seem to be interested in your middle-of-the-funnel or bottom-of-the-funnel offers.</p>
<p>They seem like a perfect fit for your services, but some unknown force is holding them back. How do you take them into the next dimension?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>If they’ve shown enough interest and you feel like they’re a great prospect, then assign them a dedicated contact.</li>
<li>Have your team reach out via personal email and phone. Let the prospect know that they have someone to contact if they need any help.</li>
<li>Try to find out what might be holding them back. Ask about their initiatives and see if they have a need or are just a tire kicker.</li>
</ul>
<p>Your job here is to guide them between the prospect world and the customer world. Do what you can to help them on their journey to the end of your sales pipeline.</p>
<h3>5)&nbsp;A Thing About Machines</h3>
<p>Much like our last scenario, your prospect has entered into your sales funnel. Unlike last time, they <em>are</em> responsive to various email workflows. They have downloaded your middle-of-the-funnel content. But the aim of your marketing automation system is to get them to sign up for a demo, an in-person meeting, or your no-cost assessment.</p>
<p>These are the next logical steps, but they just aren’t taking those actions. You’ve done the next level outreach. They’ve even attended your webinars and taken phone calls with your team. What gives?</p>
<p>You’ve let machines do all of your talking for you up to this point. Don’t wait for your prospects to take action and only follow the programmed path. Take these two steps:&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Build them personalized content</strong> – Even the best and most narrowly-focused, persona-driven content may not be speaking directly to your prospect. Build out a case that speaks specifically to this particular industry, company, and role.</li>
<li><strong>Take the engagement to the next level</strong> – Take that specific content that you just built and work to set up a face-to-face meeting with them to review the information and make your case.</li>
</ol>
<p>Your marketing machines—computers, phones, software, email—helped you get the prospect’s attention. Now, this person may require a more direct approach, a more human approach. Work to get a meeting set up, and put one of your team members in the same room with the prospect. Don’t over-rely on your marketing automation tools to convert your prospects into customers.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>There is a message to these stories and it is this: The Sales Continuum happens every day. No buyer is the perfect persona and no workflow can totally capture the nuanced relationship that a prospect has with your brand.</p>
<p>Once upon a time, there was a thing called inbound marketing and a thing called outbound marketing. In the end, it’s all about people marketing. Every story here combines the power of people with the service of machines. Until the sales robots write content, react to situations, can talk (and listen) effectively over the phone, or walk into a room, you’ll need smart, talented, and human sales and marketing professionals. They’ve always been the ones that help organizations like yours address the strangest turns in the buyer’s journey.</p>
<p>If you want to better understand the convergence between inbound and outbound marketing and why humans matter so much in the sales process, then download our ebook, How to Create a Love Story Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-4780cd0f-fbce-41d8-a1dd-aab8f974a3fe"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=4780cd0f-fbce-41d8-a1dd-aab8f974a3fe&amp;pid=53"><img alt="New Call-to-action" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/4780cd0f-fbce-41d8-a1dd-aab8f974a3fe.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fbuyers-journey-nurturing&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Lead NurturingWed, 29 Jul 2015 15:00:00 GMTrnicholson@tslmarketing.com (Ryan Nicholson)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyers-journey-nurturing2015-07-29T15:00:00Z13 Businesses With Brilliant Global Marketing Strategieshttp://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33857/10-Businesses-We-Admire-for-Brilliant-Global-Marketing.aspx
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33857/10-Businesses-We-Admire-for-Brilliant-Global-Marketing.aspx" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Global_Marketing.jpg?t=1438028789262" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Thanks to the internet, global reach is no longer reserved for deep-pocketed brands, nor is it an incredible hassle for already over-burdened marketing&nbsp;managers.</p>
<p>In fact, a global presence is possible for any business with a creative strategy and an understanding of world markets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To give you an idea of what a great global&nbsp;marketing strategy looks like, we've compiled a list of brands that totally "get it."</p><p><img class="post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Global_Marketing.jpg?t=1438028789262" style="opacity: 1;"></p>
<p>Thanks to the internet, global reach is no longer reserved for deep-pocketed brands, nor is it an incredible hassle for already over-burdened marketing&nbsp;managers.</p>
<p>In fact, a global presence is possible for any business with a creative strategy and an understanding of world markets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To give you an idea of what a great global&nbsp;marketing strategy looks like, we've compiled a list of brands that totally "get it."</p>
<h3><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/best-marketing-and-advertising-campaigns">Download more examples of awesome marketing and advertising campaigns here.</a></h3>
<p>From adapting their social strategies to translate across multiple languages to adjusting their menus to appeal to the cravings of a diverse group of people, these brands are taking positive steps towards creating a solid&nbsp;presence&nbsp;across the globe.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So if you're looking for inspiration on how to craft a successful international&nbsp;marketing strategy&nbsp;and expand your business' reach, check out these examples from 13 successful&nbsp;companies.</p>
<h2>13 Companies&nbsp;We Admire for Brilliant International Marketing</h2>
<h3>1) Red Bull</h3>
<p>Austrian company Red Bull does such a great job with global marketing that many Americans assume it’s a local brand. How?&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">One of its most successful tactics is to host extreme sports events all over the world.&nbsp;</span>From the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix to the Red Bull Air Race in the United Kingdom to the Red Bull Soapbox Race in&nbsp;Jordan, the brand's powerful event marketing strategy takes them here, there, and everywhere.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-28_at_10.27.32_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" height="376" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-28_at_10.27.32_AM.png" style="width: 1609px;" width="667"></p>
<p>Aside from events, Red Bull's packaging also plays a part in its global appeal.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>"Red Bull really looks like a product from a global economy. It doesn't look like a traditional American soft drink -- it's not in a 12-ounce can, it's not sold in a bottle, and it doesn't have script lettering like Pepsi or Coke. It looks European. That matters,"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/64658/its-red-bull-market-after-all">explains Harvard Business School professor</a>&nbsp;Nancy F. Koehn in a 2001 article. Though it's&nbsp;since diversified its&nbsp;product selection since that article was published, the fact remains that Red Bull's&nbsp;consistent packaging has helped this brand go global.</span></p>
<div>
<h3>2) Airbnb</h3>
</div>
<p>Airbnb, a community marketplace for people to list and book accommodations around the world, was founded in 2008 out of San Francisco, California.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since then, Airbnb has grown to 1,500,000+ listings in 34,000+ cities worldwide. A large contributor to the company's explosive global success? Social media.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In January 2015, Airbnb launched a social media campaign around the hashtag #OneLessStranger. The company referred to the campaign as a "global, social experiment," in which Airbnb&nbsp;asked the community to perform random acts of hospitality&nbsp;for strangers, and then take a video or photo with the person and share it using the hashtag.</p>
<div class="video-container-responsive"></div>
<p><span><a href="http://industry.shortyawards.com/nominee/7th_annual/o2V/onelessstranger">Just three weeks after the launch</a> of the campaign, over 3,000,000 people worldwide engaged, created content, or were talking about the campaign.</span></p>
<h3>3) Dunkin Donuts</h3>
<p><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text">In case you missed it, National Donut Day was June 3rd. And while we were getting our hands dirty with a Boston creme (or two) here in the states, Dunkin Donuts China was serving up a fresh batch of dry pork and seaweed donuts.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/Dunkin-Donuts-China.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=669&amp;height=312" style="opacity: 1;"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text">With over&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/company/global.html">3,100 stores in 30 countries</a>&nbsp;outside of the U.S., Dunkin Donuts has evolved its menu to satisfy the sweet tooth of its global customers.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text">From Korea's Grapefruit Coolata to Lebanon's&nbsp;<span>Mango Chocolate Donut to Russia's&nbsp;Dunclairs, it's clear that Dunkin Donuts isn't afraid to celebrate&nbsp;cultural&nbsp;differences in an effort to strengthen its international&nbsp;presence.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
<h3>4) Domino's&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Similar to Dunkin Donuts, Domino's has prioritized menu innovation as a means of increasing international&nbsp;interest and awareness.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>“The joy of pizza is that bread, sauce, and cheese works fundamentally everywhere, except maybe China, where dairy wasn’t a big part of their diet until lately,” <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2013/03/09/dominos-global-growth-feeds-pizza-chains-growing-success/">explains Domino’s CEO J. Patrick Doyle.</a></span></p>
<p>“And it’s easy to just change toppings market to market. In Asia, it’s seafood and fish. It’s curry in India. But half the toppings are standard offerings around the world.”</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/Dominos_India.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=669&amp;height=328" style="opacity: 1;"></p>
<p>By making a conscious effort to gain a better understanding of the preferences of the markets it's trying to break into, Domino's is able to deliver pies diverse enough to gain international attention.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>5) Rezdy</h3>
<p>Some companies may not be trying to attract global markets directly, but if their clients are, they better know how. <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/customers/rezdy-software" title="Rezdy">Rezdy</a> is an Australian-based reservation software designed to make online booking smoother for tourists and agents alike.</p>
<p>Though Rezdy's clients are Australian-based, the company&nbsp;needs to cater to its&nbsp;clients' international visitors. Click on the screen shot to check out this fun video on Rezdy's homepage:</p>
<div class="video-container-responsive">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/45680094"><img alt="Screen Shot 2012 11 20 at 1.36.08 AM resized 600" class="aligncenter shadow" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-23149517-png/blog/images/screen_shot_2012-11-20_at_1.36.08_am-resized-600.png?t=1438028789262" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;"></a>
</div>
<p>The first feature the video spotlights is 'Internationalisation.' The video walks us through how easy the service is for users, but is sure to emphasize the language and currency customization tool upfront. Even if your company is marketing to other regional companies, consider their global customers as if they were your own.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>6) World Wildlife Foundation</h3>
<p>WWF took its Earth Hour initiative -- a voluntary worldwide event where participants turn off their lights for an hour to show how easy it can be to battle climate change -- and brought it to Norway's mobile audience.</p>
<p><span>Scandinavian countries like Norway experience extreme daylight hours in different&nbsp;seasons, making the country a prime candidate&nbsp;for WWF's Blackout campaign.&nbsp;</span>Using digital agency Mobiento, the nonprofit placed the Blackout Banner across Norway's top media sites to promote Earth Hour. With one tap of the banner, the screen went black. Finger swiping the black screen slowly revealed the Earth Hour countdown. The banner attracted roughly <a href="http://www.smorgasbord.nu/mma/2012/wwf/earth-hour-rich-media-banner/" title="1,000,000 impressions">1,000,000 impressions</a> and the campaign received three <a href="http://www.mobiento.com/cases/banner/black-out-banner/" title="2012 MMA Global Mobile Marketing Awards.">MMA Global Mobile Marketing Awards</a>&nbsp;back in 2012.</p>
<div class="video-container-responsive"></div>
<p>Have a cool idea? Don't be afraid to try it out on one international market -- just make sure it's the appropriate audience. (Also, don't be afraid of the dark.)</p>
<h3>7) Pearse Trust</h3>
<p>With offices in Dublin, London, Vancouver, Atlanta, and Wellington, Pearse Trust has grown to be an international authority on corporate and trust structures. But it takes more than offices all over the map to reach an international audience.</p>
<p>That's why <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/customers/pearse-trust" title="Pearse Trust keeps content flowing">Pearse Trust keeps content flowing</a> on its Facebook page that engages its various markets. In this screenshot below, you can see Pearse Trust posts lots of&nbsp;content featuring international affairs relating to the company's practice.</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img alt="pearse_trust.png" class="aligncenter shadow" height="918" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/pearse_trust.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" width="667"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>It&nbsp;also&nbsp;levels out external articles with Pearse Trust content, featuring news from places like Germany, Ireland (where it&nbsp;has a Dublin office), and the U.K. (where it&nbsp;has a London office). This is a great example of focusing on common interests shared among your company's various markets while also making the content&nbsp;relatable&nbsp;to customers by region.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>8) Nike</h3>
<p><span>Nike has been able to evolve its global&nbsp;presence&nbsp;through the careful selection of international sponsorships&nbsp;such as its previous long-standing relationship with Manchester United. &nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Although sponsorship spending <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-03-20/is-nike-spending-too-much-on-superstars">can be fairly unpredictable</a> -- demand costs tend to surge due to triggers like championships and tournaments -- these partnerships have certainly helped the brand capture the attention of a global audience.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Nike's NikeID co-creation platform serves as another strategy that the company is using to appeal to international markets.</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/NIKEID.png?t=1438028789262" style="opacity: 1;"></p>
<p>By&nbsp;putting the power of design into the hands of the consumer, Nike is able to deliver customized products that align with different cultural preferences and styles.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>9) McDonald's</h3>
<p>We all know McDonald's is&nbsp;a successful&nbsp;global brand, so unlike its&nbsp;menu, I'll keep it light.</p>
<p>While keeping its overarching branding consistent, McDonald's&nbsp;practices 'glocal' marketing efforts. No, that's not a typo. McDonald's brings a local flavor, literally, to different countries with region-specific menu items. In 2003, McDonald's introduced the McArabia, a flatbread sandwich, to its restaurants in the Middle East.</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/McArabia.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=609&amp;height=193" style="opacity: 1;"></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>McDonald's has also introduced macaroons to its&nbsp;French menu:</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-27_at_9.04.25_AM.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=609&amp;height=440" style="opacity: 1;"></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>And added McSpaghetti to its&nbsp;menu in the Philippines:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-27_at_9.07.23_AM.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=609&amp;height=295" style="opacity: 1;"></p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text">This "glocal" approach has helped put McDonald's at <a href="http://www.bestglobalbrands.com/2014/ranking/" title="#7 on Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2012.">#9 on Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2014.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<br></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<h3>10) Innocent Drinks</h3>
<p>Innocent Drinks is the <a href="http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/27010-innocent-drinks-co-founder-shares-his-lessons-for-international-growth">leading smoothie company</a> in the U.K., but that's not the only place you'll find its&nbsp;products.&nbsp;In fact, Innocent products are now available in 13 countries across Europe.</p>
<p>And despite its&nbsp;widespread reach, the company's "chatty branding" remains consistent across the board. For instance, the website is very bubbly, with contact information that reads "call the banana phone" or "visit the fruit towers."</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img alt="Screen Shot 2012 11 16 at 12.08.38 AM" class="aligncenter shadow" height="445" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-23149500-png/blog/images/screen_shot_2012-11-16_at_12.08.38_am.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=592&amp;height=390" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" width="667"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>While global expansion and rapid growth can sometimes distract a company from consistent branding, Innocent Drinks has managed to remain true to itself. By ensuring that the&nbsp;brand's voice is interpreted the same way around the world, Innocent is able to create a more recognizable brand.</p>
<h3>11) Unger and Kowitt</h3>
<p>The phrase 'glocal' can be defined as "Think Globally, Act Locally."&nbsp;But what happens when you switch the two around?</p>
<p>Woah, fasten your seat belts&nbsp;-- literally. Unger and Kowitt is a traffic ticket law firm based in Fort Lauderdale defending drivers in the state of Florida. Not very global, right? Well, Unger and Kowitt understands that America is a melting pot and that Florida is bursting at the seams with different cultures and languages.</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img alt="Screen Shot 2012 11 19 at 5.02.35 PM" class="aligncenter shadow" height="130" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-23149512-png/blog/images/screen_shot_2012-11-19_at_5.02.35_pm.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=473&amp;height=101" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 550px;" width="548"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>Though a domestic service, the firm's website is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole. With these options, Unger and Kowitt can cater to Florida's nearly <a href="http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&amp;SRVY_YEAR=2005&amp;geo=state&amp;state_id=12&amp;county_id=&amp;mode=geographic&amp;lang_id=&amp;zip=&amp;place_id=&amp;cty_id=&amp;region_id=&amp;division_id=&amp;ll=&amp;ea=n&amp;order=&amp;a=n&amp;pc=1" title="3.5 million Floridians who speak Spanish, Portugese, or Creole.&nbsp;">3.5 million Floridians who speak Spanish, Portuguese, or Creole</a>. Don't miss out on expanding your client base -- sometimes you don't have to look far to attract international business.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>12) Coca-Cola</h3>
<p><span>Coca-Cola is a great example of a brand using international&nbsp;marketing efforts. Though a large corporation, Coca-Cola focuses on small community programs and invests a lot of time and money in small-scale charity efforts. </span></p>
<p><span>For example, in Egypt, Coca-Cola has built 650 clean water installations in the rural village of Beni Suef and sponsors Ramadan meals for children across the Middle East. In India, the brand sponsors the Support My School initiative to improve facilities at local schools. Not to mention, the brand sticks with selling an emotion that can't get lost in translation: happiness. Now, tell me this doesn't look like fun:</span></p>
<div class="video-container-responsive"></div>
<h3>13) H&amp;M</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.bestglobalbrands.com/2014/hm/">According to Interbrand</a>, H&amp;M is on track to increase new store openings by 10-15% a year. One of the secrets fueling its&nbsp;global expansion strategy?</p>
<p>Optimizing its&nbsp;online experience.</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow post-body__featured-image" src="//cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/HM_Language_Selection-1.png?t=1438028789262&amp;width=669&amp;height=295" style="opacity: 1;"></p>
<p>With an online shop available in 21 markets, including the U.S., H&amp;M is doing everything in its&nbsp;power to create an easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly online shopping experience.</p>
<p><em>What other brands out there do a great job with their international marketing? Let us know in the comment section below.</em></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><em>Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2012 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.</em></span></p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fblog%2Ftabid%2F6307%2Fbid%2F33857%2F10-Businesses-We-Admire-for-Brilliant-Global-Marketing.aspx&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Inbound MarketingAdvertisingBrandingDailyWed, 29 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMThfleishman@hubspot.com (Hannah Fleishman)http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33857/10-Businesses-We-Admire-for-Brilliant-Global-Marketing.aspx2015-07-29T12:00:00Z8 of the Best B2B Publisher Email Newslettershttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/10-b2b-publisher-email-newsletters
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<p>Producing email newsletters for B2B markets can be a vital part of your inbound marketing. Producing one, week after week, which actually gets read isn’t always so easy. Luckily, publications of all shapes and sizes can <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/personalized-publishing-newsletters">create great newsletters</a><span>—</span>you just have to know your audience and what they will find most engaging.&nbsp;</p><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/Dogwithpaper.jpg" width="669">
<p>Producing email newsletters for B2B markets can be a vital part of your inbound marketing. Producing one, week after week, which actually gets read isn’t always so easy. Luckily, publications of all shapes and sizes can <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/personalized-publishing-newsletters">create great newsletters</a><span>—</span>you just have to know your audience and what they will find most engaging.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To get your creative juices flowing, here are 8&nbsp;of the best B2B email newsletters we’ve come across recently:</p>
<h2><strong>1)&nbsp;Food Safety Update</strong></h2>
<p>Not exactly a catchy title unless you happen to work in food and beverage manufacturing and don’t want to inadvertently make people sick. But to the right audience,&nbsp;<a href="http://info.foodprocessing.com/fsu-141016">Food Safety Update's</a>&nbsp;content is pure gold, presented in a clear and easily digestible&nbsp;manner. We like the clean design that’s smartly organized and well-labeled so readers know exactly what type of content they’ll be viewing (featured articles, sponsored white papers, events, products, etc.). They break up all that text with attractive thumbnails and tastefully designed display ads that don’t detract from the content. Unsubscribing is easy, as is <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-best-big-social-networks-for-publishers">social sharing</a>.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="393" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/FoodSafety.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<h2><strong>2)&nbsp;GreenBuilder</strong></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.greenbuildermedia.com/vantage-climate-change-and-climate-heroes">GreenBuilder</a> offers another tastefully designed newsletter that makes it easy to quickly find what you want. We especially like the text-only top with hyperlinks to featured articles<span>—it&nbsp;</span>gets you to the meat of the email fast. The graphics below help to separate additional linked articles with thumbnails and concise summaries. They also make it easy to share on social media with icons at the bottom, as well as text-based links at the top. The article titles are engaging and the writing is crisp and written with a very specific reader in mind.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="521" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/GreenBuilder.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<h2><strong>3)&nbsp;InterDrone News</strong></h2>
<p>Yup! Would you believe there’s a <a href="http://resources.sdtimes.com/interdronenews">really cool newsletter</a> aimed at folks who build drones or use them in their work? Who knew?&nbsp;This newsletter is sparse on the bells and whistles, but has a super easy to read layout, direct and to-the-point writing, and the content stays on topic. The line breaks in particular are a great tool&nbsp;for moving readers' eyes down the page.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="629" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/InterDroneNews.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<h2><strong>4)&nbsp;Dental Products Report</strong></h2>
<p><a href="http://www.dentalproductsreport.com">DPR</a> writes catchy headlines and article titles that get dentists’ attention. We can see why it’s so popular. The layout and images are more reminiscent of a well organized website than a newsletter, and their use of topics along the top make for easy navigation. Their CTAs aren’t subtle<span>—</span>it’s clear what actions they want you to take. But their copy is direct, benefits-laden, and clear. They also create a sense of urgency where appropriate and incorporate social proof with testimonials from other dentists.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="542" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/DentalProducts.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="563" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/Dental_Products.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<h2><strong>5) Chemical Processing Weekly</strong></h2>
<p>As far as B2B newsletters go, <a href="https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/enews/">this one</a> is not what you would expect. Forget the clinical, scientific vibe. It has more of a retro, down-home feel. We especially like how they incorporate polls and a reader questions to get engagement up. The headlines appeal to chemical engineers, content is concise, well-organized and stays on topic, native ads are clearly identified. They keep the reader's needs&nbsp;first&nbsp;by offering content from both their own publication, in addition to&nbsp;compiling top&nbsp;industry news from outside sources.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="473" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/ChemicalProcessing.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<h2><strong>6)&nbsp;Smart Meetings News</strong></h2>
<p>Aimed at corporate event planners, <a href="http://www.smartmeetings.com/files/EBlasts/ENEWSLETTER/2014/march/21/index.html">this newsletter</a> is attractive and fun to read (e.g. <em>How to Stay Healthy at Conferences Using a Smartwatch</em>). We like how it’s organized—more timely news is up top, with industry articles <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/websites-that-drive-registrations-for-publishing-events">and events</a> following. They include polls for favorite hotels and venues, and make it easy to share as well as return to the main website. The colors are bright, the photos enticing, and social sharing a breeze.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="497" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/SmartMeetings.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="574" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/SmartMeetings2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></span></span></p>
<h2><strong>7) SD Times’ Featured Resources</strong></h2>
<p>Software developers love <a href="http://old.sdtimes.com/content/resources.aspx">this newsletter</a> because it’s filled with valuable educational resources, each tied to a unique and relevant industry issue. We like the way they use color and white space—the design is inviting, cheerful, and easy to read.&nbsp;The CTAs aren't buried &nbsp;in the text, but bold and easy to engage with.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="636" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/SDTimes.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="498"></p>
<h2><strong>8) SP TechCon News</strong></h2>
<p>This <a href="http://resources.sdtimes.com/sptechreport?__hstc=69203918.9f72fc9cf2bcb4e90a032331aa467324.1438119500534.1438119500534.1438119500534.1&amp;__hssc=69203918.2.1438119500534&amp;__hsfp=1878368218">event-specific example</a>&nbsp;gets right to the point. It shamelessly urges you to spend up your remaining training bucks at their upcoming conference. We like their direct style, and the alternating use of color for the different classes makes it easy to read. There’s no way any IT professional can mistake the message,&nbsp;and if the idea of Austin in February wasn't luring enough<span>—they also provide an extensive sample list of classes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="636" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/MediaBlogNewsletters/SPTechCon2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 500px;" width="500"></span></p>
<p>Newsletters can be a great tool for any publisher, regardless of industry. Take a few notes from the examples above, and think about what your market is talking about, the&nbsp;expertise you have&nbsp;to offer, and how you can package these pieces into the most engaging format possible. These publishers knocked it out of the park, now it's your turn.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide: your database sucks" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2F10-b2b-publisher-email-newsletters&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">MediaWed, 29 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTrlitterst@hubspot.com (Rob Litterst)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/10-b2b-publisher-email-newsletters2015-07-29T11:00:00Z7 Ways to Inspire Trust from Ecommerce Customershttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspire-trust-ecommerce-customers
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspire-trust-ecommerce-customers" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/Ecommerce-Inspire-Trust.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Getting people to spend money online is easier than ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for everyone. There are still plenty of consumers out there who aren’t comfy passing along financial information, no matter how secure the transactions get. One small slip, and you could turn them off of shopping with you for good. So, how can you get your visitors to trust you enough to convert to customers? Here are some tips to help.</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span><p>&nbsp;<img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/Ecommerce-Inspire-Trust.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p>Getting people to spend money online is easier than ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for everyone. There are still plenty of consumers out there who aren’t comfy passing along financial information, no matter how secure the transactions get. One small slip, and you could turn them off of shopping with you for good. So, how can you get your visitors to trust you enough to convert to customers? Here are some tips to help.</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span>
<h2>Updated Design</h2>
<p>Anyone who shops online is familiar enough with websites to recognize old or bad design. If you haven’t updated your design lately, it’s going to be <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Efthymios_Constantinides/publication/220146932_Influencing_the_online_consumer's_behavior_the_Web_experience/links/0fcfd50bfaf6426df4000000.pdf">a big turn off</a>. They may wonder if you’ve updated your security lately, or if your company is even in business anymore.</p>
<p>Good design relies on plenty of white space, a distinct lack of cheesy stock photography, shunning <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/fonts-worse-than-comic-sans">overused or silly fonts</a> (such as the dreaded Comic Sans), and a generally clean and welcoming feel.</p>
<h2>Excellent Spelling and Grammar</h2>
<p>Poor spelling and grammar, misused phrases and words, and even juvenile writing styles all add up to bad news for business. Customers will not trust companies that can’t string a sentence together. If you’re not comfortable writing copy for your website, hire a professional.</p>
<p>If you need a bigger reason to pursue professional writing services, keep in mind that Google <a href="http://blog.searchmetrics.com/us/2014/09/23/5-ways-to-definitely-get-hit-by-a-panda-algorithm-penalty/">isn’t fond of poor spelling</a> and grammar either. Your search rankings could suffer, which gives your competition an even bigger edge.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Active Social Media</h2>
<p>Many potential customers will seek out your social media accounts to learn more about your company before making a purchase. They want to see healthy, active accounts that convey your brand and voice. If you haven’t tweeted or updated Facebook in several months, those customers might just assume (again!) your company has closed.</p>
<p>Take special note of the branding and voice, too. If your social media messages don’t match those of your ecommerce site, you’ll only confuse buyers. One faux pas is easier to overcome than constant mixed messages.</p>
<h2>Social Proof</h2>
<p>Consumers need more than reassurances from ecommerce companies. We’d rather <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32418/10-Ways-to-Instantly-Amplify-the-Social-Proof-of-Your-Marketing.aspx">hear from previous customers</a> before making our choice. You can help that process along by including various pieces of social proof on your ecommerce site. Whether this proof comes in the form of formal testimonials, reviews, a social media feed, celebrity endorsements, or even just the number of products already purchased, the most important thing is simply that you make it available.</p>
<p>Companies that see the biggest benefit of social proof are those that combine several different types. For instance, reviews of products, an Instagram feed of real customers using those items, and an endorsement from a celebrity or well-known personality could be the perfect combination to inspire enough trust for a purchase.</p>
<h2>Payment Options</h2>
<p>There are so many <a href="/ecommerce/ecommerce-alternative-payment-methods">different payment options</a> available to consumers and ecommerce companies that offering only one would be foolish. Not everyone is comfortable sharing their credit card information online every time they make a purchase. Other consumers might just appreciate the convenience of an online wallet that doesn’t require pulling out the card every time.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that offering every payment option out there can be overwhelming. Take a few different possibilities for a test drive and then include your favorites. The biggest ones are Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and PayPal. You may find others that you prefer that you can include. Remember the customers when you choose payment options, too. If something is popular, it means a lot of people use it. You don’t want to eliminate customers by eliminating their favorite online wallet.</p>
<h2>Security Seals&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Just like an alarm system sticker gives homeowners peace of mind, so do the security seals on your ecommerce site. With that additional proof that your ecommerce site has the customers’ best interests and financial safety at heart, you can give your buyers some comfort.</p>
<p>It’s a great idea to include the seals on every page of your site, but that may not always be feasible. At the very least, make sure those seals are visible in the shopping cart and checkout phases of their purchase. You may also want to include obvious links to security information so that timid customers can get all the reassurance they need before handing over their payment info.</p>
<h2>Contact Information</h2>
<p>This probably seems like the easiest of all the ways to inspire trust. For that reason, most people forget or downplay the importance. Customers want a way to contact you. They need to know your ecommerce company is run by a real person and not a robot set up to take their money.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Maybe they’ll never even use that phone number or email address. Maybe they have no reason to send a chat message. That doesn’t matter. They take comfort in knowing they can whenever they need to.</p>
<p>Have you neglected some of the biggest security features on your website? What other components might convince buyers they can trust you?&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a&amp;pid=53"><img alt="get a free HubSpot trial for ecommerce" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="Subscribe to " class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Finspire-trust-ecommerce-customers&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceWed, 29 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTgwise@hubspot.com (Greg Wise)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspire-trust-ecommerce-customers2015-07-29T11:00:00ZInside the StartUp Podcast: Gimlet Media Founders on Managing Burnout & Being Transparent [Podcast]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/gimlet-media-episode
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<p></p>
<p>Last year, former <em>This American Life</em> producer and <em>Planet Money</em> co-host Alex Blumberg launched a business of his own: <a href="https://gimletmedia.com/">Gimlet Media</a>. In true journalistic fashion, Alex decided to document the entire process of starting Gimlet -- from botching a pitch to legendary venture capitalist Chris Sacca, all the way through finding his business partner Matt Lieber and negotiating their equity in the company -- and release it as a podcast of its own.</p><p><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Gimlet.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p>Last year, former <em>This American Life</em> producer and <em>Planet Money</em> co-host Alex Blumberg launched a business of his own: <a href="https://gimletmedia.com/">Gimlet Media</a>. In true journalistic fashion, Alex decided to document the entire process of starting Gimlet -- from botching a pitch to legendary venture capitalist Chris Sacca, all the way through finding his business partner Matt Lieber and negotiating their equity in the company -- and release it as a podcast of its own.</p>
<p>Thus,&nbsp;<a href="/marketing/best-podcasts">StartUp</a>&nbsp;was born.&nbsp;Alex best described StartUp as a podcast series “about what happens when someone who knows nothing about business starts one.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>Fast-forward to today, and Gimlet has hired 20 full-time employees and brought in $2 million in revenue. They've also launched three new shows (including StartUp) that are routinely at the top of the charts on iTunes, attracting an audience of over four million people each month.</p>
<p>Yep. All of this from a guy who knew nothing about business.</p>
<p>This week, Alex and Matt join me&nbsp;on <a href="www.thegrowthshow.com">The Growth Show</a> to tell the story of&nbsp;Gimlet and their growth over the last year. Here are a few highlights from this episode:</p>
<ul>
<li>Background on Alex, Matt, and Gimlet Media [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=1:30">1:30</a>]</li>
<li>Behind Gimlet’s growth [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=4:00">4:00</a>]</li>
<li>The secret to making content that people want and the quest for product-market fit [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=5:30">5:30</a>]</li>
<li>Gimlet’s new business model [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=8:00">8:00</a>]</li>
<li>Why they believe that ads don’t need to suck [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=10:00">10:00</a>]</li>
<li>What they've learned about business since pitching legendary VC Chris Sacca in the first episode of StartUp [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=12:45">12:45</a>]</li>
<li>Gimlet’s three core values, culture, and emphasis on&nbsp;transparency [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=18:20">18:20</a>]</li>
<li>Hiring and maintaining culture as they continue to scale [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=23:00">23:00</a>]</li>
<li>Burnout [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=24:00">24:00</a>]</li>
<li>Alex’s experience as a first-time CEO and the adjustment from always being "the nice guy" [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=27:00">27:00</a>]</li>
<li>One way to get better at storytelling and the biggest mistake people make when trying to tell a story [<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-growth-show/gimlet-media#t=29:40">29:40</a>]</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><strong>Click the play button below to listen to this&nbsp;episode in your browser, or <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-growth-show/id963131164?mt=2">subscribe on iTunes </a>to download and&nbsp;listen from your mobile device:</strong></strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>Want m<strong>or</strong>e recaps of the latest episodes&nbsp;of The Growth Show? <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/topic/podcast">Check 'em out here</a>.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-e5e29611-66e0-4d5a-b7f8-0c9d85476afd"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=e5e29611-66e0-4d5a-b7f8-0c9d85476afd&amp;pid=53"><img alt="subscribe to HubSpot's growth show podcast" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/e5e29611-66e0-4d5a-b7f8-0c9d85476afd.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </strong></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgimlet-media-episode&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">PodcastDailyWed, 29 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTdgerhardt@hubspot.com (Dave Gerhardt)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/gimlet-media-episode2015-07-29T10:00:00ZHow to Be an Effective Leader: 9 Timeless Lessons From Warren Buffet, Mary Kay, Chuck Norris & Morehttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/timeless-leadership-lessons
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/timeless-leadership-lessons" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/leadership_lessons_from_famous_leaders.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><br></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <p>In 1951, there was a 21-year-old man who had trouble with public speaking. In fact, the thought of speaking in front&nbsp;of a group of people was so off-putting&nbsp;that it'd often make him physically sick.</p> <p>Determined to&nbsp;improve his speaking ability, he ended up taking the&nbsp;<span>Dale Carnegie training program -- an educational course aimed at helping individuals improve their communication&nbsp;skills and better influence outcomes. And s</span>ince then, he can't <em>stop</em> talking.</p></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/9_Leadership_Lessons.jpeg" width="669"><br></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <p>In 1951, there was a 21-year-old man who had trouble with public speaking. In fact, the thought of speaking in front&nbsp;of a group of people was so off-putting&nbsp;that it'd often make him physically sick.</p> <p>Determined to&nbsp;improve his speaking ability, he ended up taking the&nbsp;<span>Dale Carnegie training program -- an educational course aimed at helping individuals improve their communication&nbsp;skills and better influence outcomes. And s</span>ince then, he can't <em>stop</em> talking.</p> <p>That 21-year-old man was Warren Buffett.</p> <p>But Buffet was just one of many highly successful leaders that&nbsp;came out of&nbsp;the Dale Carnegie program --&nbsp;Chuck Norris, Mary Kay Ash, and Lyndon B. Johnson are also graduates of the training.</p> <p>With that said, there's no denying the value of the principles put forward by&nbsp;Dale Carnegie in his course and book&nbsp;<em><a href="http://getsidekick.com/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-summary">How to Win Friends and Influence People</a>. </em>To help you gain a better understanding of that value,&nbsp;we've detailed nine of the training's&nbsp;most timeless leadership lessons in the SlideShare below.</p>
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</div> <p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Ftimeless-leadership-lessons&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">LeadershipDailyTue, 28 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTdkhim@hubspot.com (David Ly Khim)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/timeless-leadership-lessons2015-07-28T16:00:00ZType A vs. Type B: Does Personality Type Matter at Work?http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-b-personality-types
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-b-personality-types" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/personality-types.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p></p> <p>Organized, ambitious, competitive, and sometimes a little impatient. Laid-back, collaborative, creative, and sometimes a little messy. Does one of those sentences describe you better&nbsp;than the other?</p> <p>Most of you probably already associate with either&nbsp;the "Type A" or the "Type B" personality. Or, perhaps you associate with both in different contexts -- like those of us who schedule our&nbsp;time and write to-do lists like maniacs, and yet have never made our&nbsp;beds once in our&nbsp;lives.</p></span></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><img alt="personality-types.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/personality-types.jpeg" title="personality-types.jpeg" width="761"></p> <p>Organized, ambitious, competitive, and sometimes a little impatient. Laid-back, collaborative, creative, and sometimes a little messy. Does one of those sentences describe you better&nbsp;than the other?</p> <p>Most of you probably already associate with either&nbsp;the "Type A" or the "Type B" personality. Or, perhaps you associate with both in different contexts -- like those of us who schedule our&nbsp;time and write to-do lists like maniacs, and yet have never made our&nbsp;beds once in our&nbsp;lives.</p> <p>Here's how the two types&nbsp;tend to break down:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Type As</strong> are the "go-getters." They tend to be more ambitious, organized, time-oriented, impatient, and tend to stress themselves out by taking on more than they can handle.</li>
<li><strong>Type Bs</strong>, by contrast, are more relaxed and low-stress. They tend to be more patient, steadier, more creative, enjoy achievement more, and don't get wrapped up in details.</li>
</ul> <p>Before we get to the nitty gritty, check out the following graphic to see&nbsp;personality type&nbsp;you identify with.</p> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fa-b-personality-types&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhub%2F53%2Fhubfs%2F00-Blog-Related_Images%2FA-B-Personality-Infographic.png%3Ft%3D1438009421253%26width%3D667%26height%3D5152&amp;description=Type%20A%20vs.%20Type%20B%3A%20Which%20Personality%20Type%20Are%20You%3F%20(by%20%40HubSpot)"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="A-B-Personality-Infographic.png" class="alignCenter shadow" height="5152" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/A-B-Personality-Infographic.png" style="width: 669px;" title="A-B-Personality-Infographic_7.png" width="667"></p> <h4>Share This Image on Your Site</h4> &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please include attribution to Blog.HubSpot.com with this graphic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href='http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-b-personality-types'&gt;&lt;img src='http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/00-Blog-Related_Images/A-B-Personality-Infographic.png?t=1438092783351&amp;width=667&amp;height=5152' alt='a/b personality types' width='600px' border='0' /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; <p><a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fa-b-personality-types&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhub%2F53%2Fhubfs%2F00-Blog-Related_Images%2FA-B-Personality-Infographic.png%3Ft%3D1438009421253%26width%3D667%26height%3D5152&amp;description=Type%20A%20vs.%20Type%20B%3A%20Which%20Personality%20Type%20Are%20You%3F%20(by%20%40HubSpot)"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a></p> <p><span>While most of you could probably guess which of the options above might be associated with Type A vs. Type B personalities in the workplace, many of you probably found you were identifying with a little bit of both. </span></p> <p><span><strong>That normal.&nbsp;</strong>It's hard to check off <em>all</em> the boxes for&nbsp;one&nbsp;category</span><span>.</span></p> <p>You could call that graphic somewhat of an A/B personality "test," although it doesn't even scratch the surface compared to&nbsp;the original A/B personality&nbsp;test.</p> <h3>The Original A/B Personality Test</h3> <p>While the&nbsp;classic A/B personality type dichotomy has been around since the 1950s, it wasn't always just a way to distinguish between people who squeeze their toothpaste from the middle of the tube and those who don't.&nbsp;In fact, it was&nbsp;originally created to test how likely it was that you'd develop coronary heart disease -- indicating that people's mental states can have a significant effect on their physical health.</p> <p>The Jenkins Activity survey, a multiple-choice questionnaire that was the precursor to the modern A/B personality test, was created by two cardiologists in 1950s to&nbsp;detect behaviors that lead to heart attacks. An <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/a-level-stress.html">eight-and-a-half-year-long study</a> found that what we know as "Type A" personality is associated with a higher risk. As someone who considers myself&nbsp;more Type A, I was happy to know that the study also found it didn't prove to be a risk factor for mortality.</p> <p>While the&nbsp;Type A or Type B labels can apply in all areas of life, people often use them to describe working&nbsp;and collaboration style. But in the last few decades, we've seen much more complex&nbsp;personality assessments emerge. From Myers Briggs to DiSC to Thomas-Kilmann, it seems the ol' A/B dichotomy doesn't seem to be enough anymore. Even the introversion vs. extroversion dichotomy's been blighted by <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-ambiversion">its hybrid&nbsp;cousin, ambiversion</a>.</p> <p>With all this&nbsp;talk about these detailed assessments nowadays, we began to wonder:&nbsp;Is there still room for the good old fashioned Type A vs. Type B personalities in the office, or are those personality types&nbsp;defunct? Or, do all the elaborate profiles really just map out to Types A and B in the end?</p> <h3>Does the A/B Personality Construct&nbsp;Have a Place in the Office?</h3> <p>The fact that many people identify with both Type A <em>and&nbsp;</em>Type B depending on the context is&nbsp;exactly&nbsp;why these more elaborate personality profiles exist.</p> <p>For example,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/disc-management-style">DiSC is a personality test</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;maps someone's personality based on four behavioral drivers: dominance, influence, conscientiousness, and steadiness.&nbsp;<span>Someone who scores high for steadiness tends to be friendly, relate to people easily,&nbsp;place&nbsp;high importance on being well liked, and avoid risk.&nbsp;Sounds kinda like Type B, right?</span></p> <p>Someone who scores high for influence tends to be outgoing, spontaneous, enthusiastic, unfocused, and optimistic.&nbsp;Wait ... that also sounds like Type B.</p> <p>Despite both erring on the side of Type B,&nbsp;the steady person and the influential person&nbsp;still&nbsp;sound like they'd have very different personality types, working styles, and collaboration styles. And that's precisely why these more detailed personality profiles exist.</p> <p>Now, take the person who scores high for conscientiousness. That person tends to be a data-driven problem solver who works deliberately and at a conservative pace, wants to be correct and accurate, and tends to be more of a non-verbal communicator. Which are they: Type A or Type B?</p> <p>Well ... the value this person places on&nbsp;accuracy screams Type A, but the "conservative pace" part is&nbsp;much more Type B. I have a hard time placing this person in one camp or the other.</p> <p>So, again, this is where those detailed personality types come in handy: I'm willing to bet a large number of people identify with both A/B personality types depending on the task or project, and might find a profiling system like DiSC&nbsp;more accurate overall.</p> <h3>How Much Does It Matter?</h3> <p>The A/B personality constructs&nbsp;only exist because of the human compulsion to categorize everything. By categorizing things, we attempt to&nbsp;better&nbsp;understand the things and people around us.&nbsp;</p> <p><span class="content-post__body">But sometimes these categories feel lacking. If you don't fit neatly into one bucket or the other,&nbsp;what should you do about it?&nbsp;</span></p> <p>Ultimately, fitting neatly into one bucket or the other doesn't matter. What matters really matters is how&nbsp;you work in day-to-day scenarios.</p> <p>Which systems help you stay organized at work? How many unread emails do you feel comfortable having in your inbox? How far in advance do you care to plan out your lunch? There's no&nbsp;need to pressure yourself to uphold one personality type or the other -- whether it's Type A versus Type B, introvert versus extrovert, ENTJ versus ENJF.</p> <p>Frankly, you can call yourself whatever the heck you want, as long as what you're doing works for you.</p> <p><em>What do you think? Do the Type A vs. Type B personalities have a place in work? Does</em>&nbsp;any&nbsp;<em>personality type?</em><em>&nbsp;Share your thoughts with us in the comments.</em></p> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015 and get 25% off" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p></span></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fa-b-personality-types&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Pop Culturefeatured-1Office LifeProfessional DevelopmentDailyWeeklyTue, 28 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-b-personality-types2015-07-28T12:00:00ZHow to Generate More Leads & Customers Using Social Media Videos [Free Ebook]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-social-media-ebook
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-social-media-ebook" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Wistia_Blog_Header_2.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Did you know that the use of video content for B2B marketers jumped&nbsp;from <a href="http://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-topics/content-strategies/2746-b2b-content-preferences-survey-buyers-want-short-visual-mobile-optimized-content.html">8% to 58% in 2014 </a>alone?&nbsp;More than that, the number of videos brands publish on Facebook has increased by <a href="http://media.fb.com/2015/01/07/what-the-shift-to-video-means-for-creators/">3.6x year over year</a>.</p>
<p>But does all this video <em>really</em> help marketers succeed?</p><p><img alt="How to Use Video in Social Media" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Wistia_Blog_Header_2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 761px;" title="Wistia_Blog_Header.png" width="761"></p>
<p>Did you know that the use of video content for B2B marketers jumped&nbsp;from <a href="http://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-topics/content-strategies/2746-b2b-content-preferences-survey-buyers-want-short-visual-mobile-optimized-content.html">8% to 58% in 2014 </a>alone?&nbsp;More than that, the number of videos brands publish on Facebook has increased by <a href="http://media.fb.com/2015/01/07/what-the-shift-to-video-means-for-creators/">3.6x year over year</a>.</p>
<p>But does all this video <em>really</em> help marketers succeed?</p>
<p>The short answer: Yes.</p>
<p>Social media posts that contain videos <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-infographic">boost views by 48%</a>, and visual content on Facebook specifically <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-infographic">increases engagement by 65%</a>. This means that not only are more people seeing your content as a result of video, but they're actually engaging with it, too.&nbsp;<em>That's&nbsp;value.</em></p>
<p>Not sure where to start with video for your social media account? Don't worry, you aren't alone. HubSpot and Wistia have teamed together <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/video-social-media-marketing">to bring you an interactive guide</a> ... with videos. This guide will show you how you can start making videos that are optimized for each social media platform today.</p>
<p><strong>You'll learn:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="content-post__body">How to create &amp; implement a video social media strategy</span></li>
<li>How to make awesome videos by turning your office into a DIY studio</li>
<li>The best lighting, microphones, and tools to help you shoot high quality iPhone videos</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/video-social-media-marketing">View the free interactive guide to get started with video today</a>.</h3>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-babbd84d-57a7-475f-923f-1e60a3487d22"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=babbd84d-57a7-475f-923f-1e60a3487d22&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide to using video in social media" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/babbd84d-57a7-475f-923f-1e60a3487d22.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fvideo-social-media-ebook&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Social MediaVideoDailyTue, 28 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTcwhite@hubspot.com (Christine White)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-social-media-ebook2015-07-28T10:00:00ZThe Anatomy of a Grammar Nerd [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/grammar-nerd-profile
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/grammar-nerd-profile" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/grammar-nerd.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p></p> <p>Are you pro-semi-colon?&nbsp;Does the word "irregardless" make you cringe? Do you silently (or not-so-silently) correct your friends' and family's grammar mistakes on a regular basis?</p> <p>If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, chances are you're a grammar nerd. It's cool -- a lot&nbsp;of us are, too.&nbsp;Actually, it turns out&nbsp;there are quite a few&nbsp;of you&nbsp;out there.</p></span></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><img alt="grammar-nerd.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/grammar-nerd.jpeg" title="grammar-nerd.jpeg" width="761"></p> <p>Are you pro-semi-colon?&nbsp;Does the word "irregardless" make you cringe? Do you silently (or not-so-silently) correct your friends' and family's grammar mistakes on a regular basis?</p> <p>If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, chances are you're a grammar nerd. It's cool -- a lot&nbsp;of us are, too.&nbsp;Actually, it turns out&nbsp;there are quite a few&nbsp;of you&nbsp;out there. How do we know that? Because we saw lots of you share and comment on&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/grammar-jokes">our post about&nbsp;witty grammar jokes</a>. And on&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/grammar-myths">this post about&nbsp;grammar myths</a>. And on&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/spelling-grammar-mistakes">the one about&nbsp;brands' grammar mistakes</a>.</p> <p>But have you ever wondered about the demographic of your fellow grammar nerds? How old most of them are, where they tend to live, whether they're male or female? What does the average "grammar nerd" look like?</p> <p>In honor of growing their community to over seven million grammar lovers, <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/grammar-check">Grammarly</a> surveyed their fans to figure out the profile of the average grammar nerd. Check out their results <a href="http://www.grammarly.com/blog/2015/what-makes-a-grammar-nerd-infographic/?io">in the infographic below</a>.</p> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgrammar-nerd-profile&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fanatomy-grammar-nerd-infographic.jpg&amp;description=The%20Anatomy%20of%20a%20Grammar%20Nerd%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="anatomy-grammar-nerd-infographic.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/anatomy-grammar-nerd-infographic.jpg" style="width: 669px;" title="anatomy-grammar-nerd-infographic.jpg" width="669"></p> <a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgrammar-nerd-profile&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fanatomy-grammar-nerd-infographic.jpg&amp;description=The%20Anatomy%20of%20a%20Grammar%20Nerd%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015 and get 25% off" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/32e1e7fa-c688-4e7c-827f-b48a81355414.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p></span></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgrammar-nerd-profile&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">BloggingPop CultureDailyMon, 27 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/grammar-nerd-profile2015-07-27T16:00:00ZPlain Text vs. HTML Emails: Which Is Better? [New Data]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/plain-text-vs-html-emails-data
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/plain-text-vs-html-emails-data" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/plain-text-vs-html-emails.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<p>In the world of email marketing, opens and clicks&nbsp;are&nbsp;everything, which means email marketers are&nbsp;always testing ways to improve these metrics. We'll tweak subject lines, calls-to-action, images, headers, layout, link positioning, copy, length, tone, content ... the list goes on and on.</p>
<p>Through all of this testing,&nbsp;there's one hard truth we've discovered: Aside from&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-list-segmentation-faqs-ht">proper list segmentation</a>, <strong>nothing boosts opens and clicks&nbsp;as well as an old school, plain-text email.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/plain-text-vs-html-emails.png" width="669"></span></p>
<p>In the world of email marketing, opens and clicks&nbsp;are&nbsp;everything, which means email marketers are&nbsp;always testing ways to improve these metrics. We'll tweak subject lines, calls-to-action, images, headers, layout, link positioning, copy, length, tone, content ... the list goes on and on.</p>
<p>Through all of this testing,&nbsp;there's one hard truth we've discovered: Aside from&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-list-segmentation-faqs-ht">proper list segmentation</a>, <strong>nothing boosts opens and clicks&nbsp;as well as an old school, plain-text email.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Here's how we came to that conclusion.</p>
<h2>Beyond Deliverability</h2>
<p>The (relatively) old debate of plain-text vs. HTML is mostly centered around email deliverability. We won't be covering all of the <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/improve-email-deliverability-video">deliverability best practices</a> in this article, but it is important to have some context around that&nbsp;metric.</p>
<p>Having an HTML email does not hurt your deliverability as long as you have&nbsp;two things: a properly coded HTML email and a plain-text version.</p>
<h3>1) The HTML email needs to be properly coded.&nbsp;</h3>
<p><span>If there are broken tags in your HTML, the email provider and users can mark it as spam. That'll hurt deliverability -- not just for that email, but also for any emails coming from that particular email address in the future.</span></p>
<h3>2) The email should also contain a plain-text version.&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Most email marketing tools will let you <a href="http://help.hubspot.com/articles/KCS_Article/Email/How-do-I-generate-a-plain-text-email">easily create plain-text versions</a> within their email editor, so take those five extra minutes to create and <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/make-emails-more-clickable-list">optimize the plain-text</a>&nbsp;version of your email.&nbsp;Otherwise, email providers such as Gmail or Outlook might think&nbsp;your email is dodgy --&nbsp;they expect legitimate companies to follow this basic best practice.</p>
<p><span>If your emails&nbsp;follow the deliverability guidelines above,&nbsp;your&nbsp;HTML and plain-text should have&nbsp;the same deliverability metrics.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>So if you're&nbsp;following the best practices above,&nbsp;which type of email actually performs better once it's in someone's inbox?&nbsp;</p>
<h2>People <em>Say</em> They Prefer HTML Emails</h2>
<p>In a <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/science-of-email-marketing-2014-report">2014 survey</a>, we asked over a thousand professionals whether they preferred HTML-based or text-based emails, and whether they preferred emails that consisted of mostly text or mostly images. Nearly 2/3 of the respondents said they preferred HTML and image-based emails.</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-24_at_9.14.53_PM.png" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-24_at_9.15.42_PM.png" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p>Great, we thought. If people wanted visuals, we'd give them visuals!</p>
<p>So we decided to experiment with varying degrees of HTML-richness -- plain HTML templates,&nbsp;snazzy and sleek HTML templates, beautiful headers, different sized and positioned images, various call-to-action buttons, and even GIFs -- to see which would have the best result.</p>
<h2>... But They <em>Actually</em> Prefer Plain-Text</h2>
<p><span>In every single A/B test, the simpler-designed email won. The emails with fewer&nbsp;HTML&nbsp;elements won with <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/ab-test-calculator">statistical significance</a><span>. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Ouch.</span></span></p>
<p>Every other marketing channel is <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy">moving towards incorporating visuals</a> and seemingly getting positive results. Why were&nbsp;emails performing&nbsp;<em>worse&nbsp;</em>when we&nbsp;attempted to make them more visual appealing?</p>
<h3>HTML emails reduce open rates.</h3>
<p>One thing that we noticed was that our HTML and plain-text emails were both receiving the same deliverability rate. So if they were getting delivered at the same rate, how were HTML emails underperforming?&nbsp;</p>
<p>To understand the full scope of what happened, we decided&nbsp;to A/B test our email sends. We tested various segments of our database in multiple regions to get a better picture of HTML vs. plain-text emails.</p>
<p>The results confirmed what we assumed: <strong>HTML emails decreased open rates.</strong> What was interesting, however, was that not only were HTML emails receiving lower open rates&nbsp;than their plain-text counterparts, the <em>more HTML-rich</em> an email was, the lower its open rate.</p>
<p>Here are some of the A/B test results we found:</p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="480" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/1-86947261.png" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640"></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/2-528.png" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/3-126.png" style="width: 640px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p>While these (and at least 10 more) tests vary in the percentage opens were lowered, the conclusion we came to was that simpler HTML emails had better open rates than HTML-rich emails, and that plain-text emails performed best of all.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Why?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>We figured it had to do with the concept of deliverability.<strong> Just because something says it's been delivered&nbsp;doesn't mean it's actually in a noticeable place of someone's inbox.</strong></p>
<p>Email&nbsp;services are increasingly filtering emails (especially commercial ones) to provide a better experience for the user.&nbsp;<span>An example of this is <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/new-gmail-inbox-layout-email-nj">Gmail's&nbsp;promotions tab</a>.<span>&nbsp;It<span>&nbsp;automatically filters what it deems "commercial" emails<span>&nbsp;out of the main inbox unless the user changes the settings.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p>So the&nbsp;simple explanation is that image tags and HTML-rich templates seem to be getting flagged by email providers as commercial email, which means they get filtered out of a recipient's main inbox. (And thus, people can't&nbsp;open it.)</p>
<h3>HTML emails reduce clickthrough rates.</h3>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>But open rates are just one part of the picture. Even if open rates decreased with HTML emails, most marketers assumed HTML emails would&nbsp;convert better&nbsp;because they appear well designed.</span></span></p>
<p><span>For example, shouldn't an email with an image of the ebook being promoted do better than an email with no visualization of the offer? Wouldn't just a plain email be boring, and not help explain the offer? Aren't humans <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/opinion/sunday/why-we-love-beautiful-things.html?_r=0">wired</a> to be attracted to beautiful design?</span></p>
<p><span>Unfortunately, this principle doesn't apply to email. </span></p>
<p><span>And the reason is simple: <strong>Email, unlike other marketing channels, is perceived as a 1-to-1 interaction.</strong> </span></p>
<p><span>Think about how you email colleagues and friends: Do you usually add images or use well-designed templates?&nbsp;</span>Probably not, and neither does your audience. They're used to using email to communicate in a personal way, so emails from companies that look more personal will resonate more.</p>
<p>To better understand the impact of plain-text vs. HTML emails, we looked at the effect on the click rate (clicks/delivered) which&nbsp;is influenced by open rates, and&nbsp;clickthrough rates&nbsp;(clicks/opens) which isolate clicks from the variable of opens.</p>
<p>For the click rate,&nbsp;<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/science-of-email-marketing-2014-report">we dove into data</a> from over half a billion marketing emails sent from HubSpot customers. These customers vary in type of business, and have different segments, list sizes, and list compositions.</p>
<p>What we found was that even a single image reduced the click rate:</p>
<p><img alt="Effect of number of images in marketing email on CR" class="alignCenter shadow" height="505" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/NITI_plain_text_vs_html_blog_post_1.png" style="width: 1024px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="667"></p>
<p>This data above is of course&nbsp;correlated to open rates -- but what other factors might be contributing to the decline in click&nbsp;rates? In the data above, it's clear that after the HTML threshold is crossed, click rates continue to decrease, which means it's&nbsp;not just the open rate<em>&nbsp;</em>affecting the&nbsp;click rates</p>
<p>To see if the clickthrough rate (clicks/opened) were affected, we looked to our A/B tests once again. For the emails in the section above as well as in the others we have tested, the plainer variation won with statistical significance.</p>
<ul>
<li>For the plain-text vs. .GIF image test, the .GIF version had a 2.3% lower clickthrough rate. This, combined with the lower open rate, meant the&nbsp;plain-text version got&nbsp;42% more clicks.&nbsp;</li>
<li>For the plain-text vs. HTML template with images test, the HTML email version had a 21% lower clickthrough rate, and combined with the open rate the email had 51% fewer clicks.</li>
<li>For the simple HTML template vs. HTML-heavy template, the simpler email had a 5.3% higher clickthrough rate, and combined with the higher open rate, resulted in getting 30% more clicks.</li>
</ul>
<p>It would seem that better design or even images did not improve the clickthrough rate -- <strong>in fact, HTML consistently had a lower clickthrough rate</strong>. When combined with the lower open rates, this can turn into a double-whammy for email conversions.</p>
<h2>What This Means for Email Marketers</h2>
<p>Although people say they prefer HTML-based and image-based emails, in reality, simpler emails perform best -- and&nbsp;plain-text emails perform best of all.</p>
<p>In most instances, lower opens and clicks are due to several factors:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Filters set up by email providers</strong> that divert commercial emails from users' main inboxes.</li>
<li><strong>Email client limitations.</strong> For example, Gmail will not automatically show images from unknown senders.</li>
<li><strong>User preference for digestible formatting.</strong>&nbsp;Plain text might be perceived as less of a time commitment to read, or perhaps people really don't care for design in email.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Ultimately, in email,&nbsp;less is more.</h4>
<p>This can be&nbsp;a tough pill for marketers to swallow (myself included) because we're naturally driven to be creative. But data repeatedly shows plain-text email wins, so it's up to us&nbsp;to decide whether or not we&nbsp;want to make the switch.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>Like with all cases, there may be exceptions. For example, ecommerce companies may have completely different results because users expect&nbsp;<em>only&nbsp;</em><span>HTML-rich emails with visuals of products. So before&nbsp;you make any final decisions, it's important to&nbsp;test your own emails.</span></span></p>
<p>It's not all bad though.&nbsp;Being limited&nbsp;to plain-text forces marketers to get creative with the basics -- subject line, copy, positioning, link placement -- to achieve the desired result. Sometimes "old-school," well-written copy is all you need to get the job done.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fplain-text-vs-html-emails-data&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Email MarketingDailyMon, 27 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTnshah@hubspot.com (Niti Shah)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/plain-text-vs-html-emails-data2015-07-27T12:00:00ZHow to Earn Subscription Renewals Without Lifting a Fingerhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/earn-subscription-renewals-in-your-sleep
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/earn-subscription-renewals-in-your-sleep" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/CreditCardTablet.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/CreditCardTablet.jpg" width="669"></span></p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<p>Subscription renewals are an&nbsp;essential part of increasing the loyalty of your readers&nbsp;to lengthen the duration of you relationship with them. A relationship that is all-the-more&nbsp;important if you have a paid circulation model, as it becomes vital to your&nbsp;revenue model and bottom line.</p>
<p>Renewals can be difficult though. Sometimes current&nbsp;subscribers are lazy, or need reminding. Sometimes you need to justify (again) the value of your publication, and perhaps this time their expectations are higher. And, given&nbsp;the amount of free content available on the web,&nbsp;it's&nbsp;getting&nbsp;harder to prove a particular source of&nbsp;content is worth a&nbsp;readers’ dollars.</p>
<p>How do you not only increase renewals, but actually&nbsp;make this process more hands-off than ever? Pair your&nbsp;audience data with&nbsp;technology to do the&nbsp;work<span>—so you don't have to</span>.</p>
<p>Here are several steps you can take to start building&nbsp;a self-perpetuating subscription renewal process:</p>
<h2>Unify Your Database</h2>
<p>Many publishers house their data in different places<span>—</span>CRMs, fulfillment databases, email software, and miscellaneous&nbsp;excel sheets<span>—just to name a few</span>. <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/unify-your-publishing-database-to-turbocharge-your-roi">Consolidating these data sets</a> with&nbsp;one accessible system&nbsp;in which each user has a <em>single</em> record&nbsp;is integral for building context around your marketing strategy and future campaigns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Done manually however, this process&nbsp;is nothing short of a nightmare.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than filling excel sheets with&nbsp;import/export files, cross referencing&nbsp;endless lists, or leaning on other time-sucking tasks, consider a technical solution&nbsp;that can do the heavy lifting for you. When software "does the talking," rather than your manually syncing&nbsp;information, creating a&nbsp;single record&nbsp;for each of your contacts becomes a much more approachable task.</p>
<p>Once your systems are&nbsp;integrated, they can be used to&nbsp;automate your everyday marketing campaigns, for example<span>—sending&nbsp;</span>emails to subscribers three&nbsp;months, six&nbsp;weeks, or ten&nbsp;days out from their renewal&nbsp;date.</p>
<h2>Use Smart Content</h2>
<p>Not all readers are at the same stage of the buyer's journey, and as such, should not be shown the same messaging around renewals.&nbsp;Control which reader sees what across your website <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/personalized-publishing-newsletters">and newsletters</a> to maintain powerful messaging by not over saturating&nbsp;readers with renewal requests.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Using dynamic CTAs, publishers can&nbsp;remind users approaching the end of their subscription to renew, and refrain&nbsp;from&nbsp;annoying those are are not<span>—e.g.&nbsp;</span>"Renew Now," versus&nbsp;"Get Tickets To Our Conference."</p>
<p>This type of smart content can also be triggered by the&nbsp;other data point in your (hopefully unified)&nbsp;database, ranging from on-site behavior, to email opens, forms completed, and more. Imagine creating a list containing all of your&nbsp;&nbsp;contacts who had been subscribed to your publication in the past but had not renewed, and who had also actively clicked on your subscriptions page more than once in the past month<span>—then showing then a special "Welcome Back Special" CTA on the right sidebar of your site.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2>Segment Your Messaging</h2>
<p>Just as a salesperson would't sell a car the same way to a 45 year old mother of four, as they would to a 24 year old single man, publications should also vary how they talk to their readers.</p>
<p>Harnessing your own user information, you can better understand how people consume your content and spend time on your website, then&nbsp;use that behavior to drive renewal requests with unique email content and copy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than sending one blanket "It's Time to Renew" email, you could send several unique ones, &nbsp;language&nbsp;targeted toward a specific demographic, or topic of interest. Double down on the effectiveness of this tactic, by using referring back to our first tip, and timing these <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers.-stop-sending-terrible-emails">highly targeted emails</a> around website actions or renewal dates.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Leverage&nbsp;Other Influencers</h2>
<p>Non-subscription related events or promotions (conferences, webinars, content marketing&nbsp;campaigns) are yet another opportunity to address people when they are most likely to buy. By getting a request in front of readers&nbsp;while they’re actively purchasing or engaging with another offering, you increase your chances of convincing&nbsp;them to&nbsp;tack on another &nbsp;six-months, year, etc. of reading your&nbsp;publication.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Let’s say you have a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/growing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way">list of subscribers</a> who need to renew within the next month, and you also have an upcoming industry webinar. By separating out the contacts who need to renew soon, you can create a separate email promotion for your webinar, while also&nbsp;offering those registrants a 10% coupon for their next subscription if they sign up for both. Not to mention, you could also send anyone who had already viewed the webinar an email after the fact, offering a special discount based on their attendance.</p>
<p>Subscription renewal campaigns&nbsp;are&nbsp;vital to publishers, but can be&nbsp;time consuming and often siloed from other efforts. Luckily, this doesn't have to be the case. A little extra time and investment upfront can help you build a system that reduces your daily workload, while increasing your renewal rates.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide: your database sucks" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></span></span></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fearn-subscription-renewals-in-your-sleep&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">MediaMon, 27 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTkcarlin@hubspot.com (Katie Carlin)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/earn-subscription-renewals-in-your-sleep2015-07-27T11:00:00Z5 Tips for Increasing Your Average Order Valuehttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/tips-increasing-average-order-value
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/tips-increasing-average-order-value" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/increase_order_value_1.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><span class="content-post__body"></span></p> <p>Marketing your ecommerce site is only one way to increase your revenue. There are other things you can do on a daily basis that just might convince buyers to order more products. You won’t even need to increase any of your prices to increase the order value. As an added bonus, these tactics will delight your customers and boost the chances they’ll be back to buy more in the future.</p> <span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><span class="content-post__body"><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/increase_order_value_1.jpg" width="669"></span></p> <p>Marketing your ecommerce site is only one way to increase your revenue. There are other things you can do on a daily basis that just might convince buyers to order more products. You won’t even need to increase any of your prices to increase the order value. As an added bonus, these tactics will delight your customers and boost the chances they’ll be back to buy more in the future.</p> <span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"></span></span> <h2>Free Shipping Limit</h2> <p>You probably can’t afford to offer free shipping on every item you sell. You can, however, offer free shipping for orders over a certain amount. Make sure this offer is in a very conspicuous place on your home page as well as the checkout page. To really amp up the order values, give reminders with every item placed in the cart to let buyers know how much more they need to order to qualify for the free shipping deal.</p> <p>You can also <a href="/marketing/improve-conversion-rates-changing-shipping-options-infographic">offer various shipping levels</a> with higher limits for each. For instance, general shipping limits, which promise delivery within 5 to 7 days, might require a limit of $50. Upgraded shipping packages that guarantee two-day delivery could require a purchase of $100 or more.&nbsp;</p> <h2>First-Time Shopper Discounts</h2> <p>Consider giving your first-time buyers a special discount on bundles. For instance, <a href="/marketing/contact-forms-that-convert-quick-tip">in exchange for their contact information</a>, you’ll send them a discount coupon good for the purchase of three T-shirts. You can also provide this discount for a certain price point, such as $10 off any purchase of $50 or more.</p> <p>While you’ll only benefit from increased order values one time for each buyer, you can be sure this tactic will bring in more new buyers. Not only will you catch those who might not have planned a purchase, but you’ll also get all their friends when they go share their luck on social media.</p> <h2>Bundling Deals or “Mix and Match”</h2> <p>When you spot a “5 for $5” bin in a store, can you pass it up? Probably not. The same is true for bargain bins on your ecommerce site. With a special page dedicated to bundled deals, you can really amp up your sales.</p> <p>Whether you give a special deal on a bundle of the same items—such as 4 T-shirts for $20—or bundle like items together—for instance, free charger cord and iTunes gift card with purchase of iPod—the outcome is the same. No one can pass up the chance to get more for less.</p> <h2>Special Discount Page</h2> <p>Whether you like it or not, consumers will seek out discounts from third-party sites. You can nip this kind of activity in the bud by providing that information on your website. Create a page that includes all your latest deals, whether it’s 30% off select items, 10% off the entire order, $15 off order of $75 or more, or special holiday discounts that will expire within a few days.</p> <p>By doing so, you cut down on the traffic to those third-party sites and keep it right where it needs to be: there on your website.</p> <h2>Special Deals for Abandoned Carts</h2> <p>This can be a touchy one, especially if you get a reputation for rewarding abandoned carts. By implementing the tactic for a certain cart amount or for first-time abandoners only—or whatever parameters you want to set, really—you can <a href="/ecommerce/ecommerce-cart-abandonment-recovery-emails">gain back lost customers</a> and increase their spend amount at the same time.</p> <p>Simply provide a special deal to those who abandoned their cart. This might be a free item, free shipping, or a discount on the entire purchase if they complete the process within a certain time frame.</p> <p>How many of these techniques are you already using with your ecommerce website?&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a&amp;pid=53"><img alt="get a free HubSpot trial for ecommerce" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="Subscribe to " class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/64479f92-4cad-4343-bfb9-3bdf14185c6d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Ftips-increasing-average-order-value&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceMon, 27 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTtammon@hubspot.com (Ted Ammon)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/tips-increasing-average-order-value2015-07-27T11:00:00ZThe Step-by-Step Guide to SlideShare Marketing [Free Ebook]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/slideshare-marketing-guide
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/slideshare-marketing-guide" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/slideshare-marketing-blog-image.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p><span>While many marketers are drawn to the visual nature of SlideShare (it is&nbsp;a popular platform for sharing visual content, after all), it's important to remember that SlideShare marketing is both an art and a science.</span></p>
<p>The art side of the equation, no doubt,&nbsp;is obvious: Creating a SlideShare presentation requires that you craft a compelling story, and then bring that story to life through the careful selection and arrangement of typefaces, colors, illustrations, photographs, and other elements.</p><p><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/slideshare-marketing-blog-image.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span>While many marketers are drawn to the visual nature of SlideShare (it is&nbsp;a popular platform for sharing visual content, after all), it's important to remember that SlideShare marketing is both an art and a science.</span></p>
<p>The art side of the equation, no doubt,&nbsp;is obvious: Creating a SlideShare presentation requires that you craft a compelling story, and then bring that story to life through the careful selection and arrangement of typefaces, colors, illustrations, photographs, and other elements.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">But then there's the science side: Using</span>&nbsp;SlideShare’s lead capture and analytics tools to enhance and analyze your presentations, so that you’re always learning and improving.</p>
<p>In our new guide, <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/slideshare-marketing"><em><strong>The Step-by-Step Guide to SlideShare Marketing</strong></em></a>, you'll find&nbsp;actionable instructions and advice, both for&nbsp;the "art stuff" (like using contrast to create visual separation between different elements) and the "science stuff" (like setting up lead capture forms and interpreting performance metrics).</p>
<p><img height="488" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/slideshare-marketing-art-and-science.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Not convinced that SlideShare is worth your time? Here's the scoop: SlideShare in one of the top 100 most-visited sites in the world. And with&nbsp;<span>more than </span><strong>70 million users,</strong><span>&nbsp;it is a vast network that you can tap into and leverage for both&nbsp;lead generation and brand awareness.</span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span>Whether you're trying to get your first SlideShare marketing campaign off the ground, or you're looking to redefine your existing SlideShare strategy, <em><strong><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/slideshare-marketing">The Step-by-Step Guide to SlideShare Marketing</a></strong></em> can help.</span></span></p>
<p><em>Have any SlideShare marketing tips or tricks you'd like to share? Leave a comment below!</em></p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-549ed507-c643-451b-b9eb-27f1f596a5d9"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=549ed507-c643-451b-b9eb-27f1f596a5d9&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide to SlideShare marketing" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/549ed507-c643-451b-b9eb-27f1f596a5d9.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fslideshare-marketing-guide&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Lead GenerationContent MarketingDailyMon, 27 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTedevaney@hubspot.com (Erik Devaney)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/slideshare-marketing-guide2015-07-27T10:00:00ZSo Your Ebook Didn't Generate Leads? You Could Be Making These Rookie Mistakeshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/lead-generation-problems-ebooks
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/lead-generation-problems-ebooks" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/ebook.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>We've all had it happen before.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">You spend days creating an ebook. You slaved over the copy. You hacked together the design. You put it on your website. </span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">And then ... crickets.&nbsp;</span>No one downloads it.</p><p><img height="277" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/ebook.png" width="669"></p>
<p>We've all had it happen before.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">You spend days creating an ebook. You slaved over the copy. You hacked together the design. You put it on your website. </span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">And then ... crickets.&nbsp;</span>No one downloads it.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">But you <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/01/small-business-content-marketing-research/">were told</a> ebooks are&nbsp;one of the most effective forms of content marketing. So what gives?</span></span></span></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body">If</span></span></span>&nbsp;you're using ebooks to generate&nbsp;leads and still not seeing the results you've been promised, then you might&nbsp;be making one of the following&nbsp;rookie mistakes.</p>
<h3>1)&nbsp;You didn't identify&nbsp;your target audience.</h3>
<p>This is a classic case of marketing with the lights off. If you don't know who your target audience is, then how are you supposed to write an entire book for them?</p>
<h4>Solution: Create a buyer persona.</h4>
<p>It's time to do your market research to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33491/everything-marketers-need-to-research-create-detailed-buyer-personas-template.aspx">create a buyer persona</a>&nbsp;before you mess up your next ebook's chances. Your buyer persona will detail everything there is to know about your ideal customer and it will typically include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Demographics</li>
<li>Objections</li>
<li>Goals and challenges</li>
<li>Hobbies and interests</li>
<li>Keywords</li>
</ul>
<p>Once you have this information, you'll be able to more easily and consistently produce targeted content. You'll know the right topic to choose for your ebook and you'll know how to speak in their language.</p>
<h3>2) Your topic wasn’t valuable.</h3>
<p>If you could find the answers to your ebook by a simple Google search then why would anybody be inclined to download it?</p>
<p>The whole point of your ebook is to get people to give you their email address, correct? Problem is, you're also competing with every other marketer who wants their details -- so why should they give it to you ahead of the other guy?</p>
<h4>Solution: Solve their problems.</h4>
<p>There's a reason why your business exists. It's because you have a solution to the problems that your customers face.</p>
<p>By creating an ebook that promises to educate them on how to solve those very problems, you'll be providing them with a valuable resource that they won't have to think twice about downloading.</p>
<p>For example, this ebook below from the HubSpot library is ideal. It doesn't try to give the hard sell to the prospect, rather it promises to educate the target audience on how they can create a responsive website (something that's incredibly important given <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-algorithm-change-mobile-friendly">recent Google Algorithm changes)</a>:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="449" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/mobile_friendly.png" width="669"></span></p>
<p>When coming up with a topic, make sure it's:</p>
<ul>
<li>Targeted to your audience and your niche</li>
<li>Useful and educational</li>
<li>Includes keywords that resonate with your prospects</li>
<li>Clearly communicates the benefits of the ebook</li>
</ul>
<h3>3) You made the cover with MS Paint.</h3>
<p>Alright, we <em>know</em> that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but we'd be lying if we said we weren’t guilty of it.</p>
<p>If you want people to download the ebook, then its&nbsp;design needs to entice the prospect to do so. It has to look professional,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33309/5-Ways-to-Make-Your-Marketing-Ebooks-More-Reader-Friendly.aspx?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=googleplus">set the story of your ebook</a>, and reflect your brand. &nbsp;</p>
<h4>Solution: Create a professional design.</h4>
<p>When designing your cover it needs to reflect the theme of your whole&nbsp;ebook. It's the first thing your audience will see, so the design has to instantly attract them.</p>
<p>For example, this ebook from <a href="https://www.sparkpay.com">SparkPay</a> has an effective design with simple graphics, a clear title, and reflects the style of their brand:</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="408" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/supercharge_traffic.png" style="width: 669px;" width="669"></span></p>
<p>If you are designing your own ebook then make sure the cover is:</p>
<ul>
<li>Clear, attractive, and&nbsp;noteworthy</li>
<li>Consistent with your brand</li>
<li>Conveys the theme of what's inside</li>
<li>Highlights the value to the reader</li>
</ul>
<p>But let's be honest, not everyone is a designer, so if you're lacking in this department then hire a <a href="http://www.publi.sh/">professional ebook designer</a> to help you or download one of HubSpot's <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/ebook-templates">free ebook templates</a>.</p>
<h3>4)&nbsp;You didn't promote it.</h3>
<p>This is biggest mistake that you can make. If you're expecting people to just stumble upon your ebook without giving it the promotion it deserves, then you may as well throw in the towel right away.</p>
<p>Truthfully, you need to put the same amount of effort into promoting your ebook as you did to create it.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">Most people immediately think of these four&nbsp;channels:&nbsp;Social, email, blog, and paid amplification.&nbsp;</span>But after you've exhausted your social media accounts, emailed it to part of your database, blogged about it, and paid for advertising, where do you look to next?</p>
<h4>Solution: Do outreach for your ebook.</h4>
<p>An effective outreach strategy is the next&nbsp;step to giving your ebook the very best chances of getting seen. Outreach is focused on finding different channels and influencers within your industry who can help you give your content a bigger push.</p>
<p>This can include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Writing guest posts for high-traffic bloggers</li>
<li>Asking influencers who write about similar subjects to share it</li>
<li>Sending out a press release</li>
<li>Publishing on an <a href="http://www.publi.sh/">ebook marketing platform</a></li>
</ul>
<p>To make sure you are giving your content the best possible chance to be snapped up, it's vital that you only target influencers who speak to your audience. Platforms such as <a href="http://buzzsumo.com/">BuzzSumo</a> can help you search, analyze, and connect with influencers to help you promote your content.</p>
<h3>5) Your audience couldn’t find your landing page.</h3>
<p>The landing page is the gateway to your ebook, and the reason you're generating leads in the first place. So&nbsp;you need to make sure that:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">a) People can find your landing page</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">b) The landing page entices people to fill out their details</p>
<h4>Solution: Optimize your landing page.</h4>
<p><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/optimize-landing-page-infographic">Optimizing your landing page</a> is a crucial step in making sure that you have everything prepped for a guaranteed download.</p>
<p>Below is a great example of an optimized landing page:&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" height="462" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/generate_leads_lp.png" width="669"></span></p>
<p>Want to optimize your landing page the same way?&nbsp;Follow these tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use the keywords of your ebook in the headline, URL, meta description, and in the intro copy.</li>
<li>Write a short summary of what's included in the ebook.</li>
<li>Include an image of your ebook.</li>
<li>Add bullets to highlight the ebook's benefits.</li>
<li>Don't include any links, and take away the navigation bar.</li>
<li>Don't ask for more contact information than you need in the form.</li>
</ul>
<p>Once you've correctly optimized your page, your audience won't have to search high and low to find what they're looking for. And by highlighting all of the benefits, they feel more compelled to&nbsp;to download your ebook.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>In Short: Keep&nbsp;your audience in mind.</h3>
<p>The key takeaway is that your content has to be created with your audience firmly in mind. Make sure you aren’t making any of these critical mistakes for your next ebook and start using it as it was intended: a lead making machine!</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><strong><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </strong></span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Flead-generation-problems-ebooks&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Lead GenerationContent MarketingDailyMon, 27 Jul 2015 08:00:00 GMTinfo@publi.sh (Sarah Quinn)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/lead-generation-problems-ebooks2015-07-27T08:00:00ZCan Company Policy Make Your Team More Creative? Here's How 4 Companies Are Experimentinghttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/creative-company-policy
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/creative-company-policy" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Office-Policy-Creativity.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><span class="content-post__body"><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/company-policy-improve-creative">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency-subscribe">subscribe to Agency Post</a>.</em></span></p>
<p>Nowadays, you don't hear the phrase "office culture" without someone bringing up the open office concept.&nbsp;Cubicle farms have gotten a bad rap over the past decade or so, replaced with more innovative workplace setups that supposedly help breed creativity and collaboration. (Whether or not they actually do <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/open-office-creative-crisis">is up for debate</a>.)</p>
<p><span>But open office plans aren't the only way to spark employees'&nbsp;creativity and innovation. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/technology/steve-jobs-and-the-rewards-of-risk-taking.html?pagewanted=all">According to the&nbsp;</a><em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/technology/steve-jobs-and-the-rewards-of-risk-taking.html?pagewanted=all">New York Times</a>,&nbsp;</em><strong>"Studies of innovation come to the same conclusion: You can't engineer innovation, but you can increase the odds of it occurring."<br></strong></span></p>
<p><span><span>So how are companies trying to improve the odds?</span></span></p>
<p>We've found&nbsp;four companies with a different approach to investing in&nbsp;employee creativity. While the effectiveness of these programs can be hard to measure given their inherent subjectivity, it's interesting to see what companies are doing to&nbsp;help cultivate an innovative and inspirational work culture.</p>
<h2>1) Sagmeister &amp; Walsh: Flexible Vacation Policies</h2>
<p>The concept of flexible vacation policies&nbsp;has been the talk of the town for the past few years. At HubSpot, <a href="http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2014/11/27/real-reason-unlimited-vacation-policies-work/">we've found</a> that an unlimited vacation policy means employees are more engaged and more productive when they are at work. They can spend less time worrying about plans and timing and more time thinking about how to do their jobs well.</p>
<p>But unlimited vacation is just one iteration of flexible vacation policies. In fact, <a href="http://www.inc.com/the-build-network/why-paid-sabbaticals-are-good-for-employees-and-employers.html">25% of the employers</a> on&nbsp;<em>Fortune</em>'s 100 Best Companies to Work For offer paid sabbaticals to their employees. While employee retention is one of the main draws of offering these long breaks to employees, another big benefit is letting them explore&nbsp;new ways of thinking.</p>
<p>Design agency&nbsp;<span><a href="http://www.sagmeisterwalsh.com/about/">Sagmeister &amp; Walsh</a>&nbsp;--&nbsp;which designed the album cover for The Rolling Stones' "Bridges to Babylon," among many other famous projects --&nbsp;actually&nbsp;shuts its doors and gives its employees&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_power_of_time_off#t-13203">an entire year-long sabbatical</a>&nbsp;every seven years.&nbsp;</span>The first time co-founder&nbsp;<span>Stefan Sagmeister did this, it was because he realized the work coming out of the agency had started to look the same. So he decided to do something drastic: He&nbsp;completely shut down the firm&nbsp;for a year so he and his team could refresh their creative outlook.</span></p>
<p><span>"</span>That's clearly enjoyable for myself, but probably even more important is that the work that comes out of these years flows back into the company and in the society at large rather than just benefiting&nbsp;a grandchild or two," said Sagmeister&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_power_of_time_off#t-248238">in his TED talk, "The Power of Time Off."</a></p>
<h2>2) Pixar: Small Incubation Teams</h2>
<p>If you've ever seen one of Pixar's animated films, from the&nbsp;<em>Toy Story&nbsp;</em>trilogy to&nbsp;<em>Finding Nemo&nbsp;</em>to&nbsp;<em>Ratatouille,&nbsp;</em>you can begin to imagine how many creative minds it takes to produce a feature-length film. It's not like a team of 10&nbsp;people in a room came up with all those clever ideas -- it takes <a href="https://hbr.org/2008/09/how-pixar-fosters-collective-creativity">every member of a 200-to-250-person production group</a> to pull together a film.</p>
<p>"People tend to think of creativity as a mysterious solo act," <a href="https://hbr.org/2008/09/how-pixar-fosters-collective-creativity">wrote Ed Catmull</a>, president of both Pixar Animation Studios&nbsp;and Walt Disney Animation Studios. But in reality, each movie contains "literally tens of thousands of ideas."</p>
<p>And during the creative process, not all of them are gold. So how do you sift through a wave of ideas to extract the very best ones? Pixar had a process.</p>
<p><span>"While I’m not foolish enough to predict that we will never have a flop, I don’t think our success is largely luck," Catmull wrote.&nbsp;"Rather, I believe our adherence to a set of principles and practices for managing creative talent and risk is responsible."</span></p>
<p><span>After&nbsp;</span><em>Toy Story 2&nbsp;</em><span>came out in 1999, Pixar decided to change the mission of its&nbsp;development department. Instead of managing the birth and development of ideas all on its own, as they had in the past and as is traditionally done at other studios, the development department now helps directors put together small incubation teams to help directors refine their own ideas. The challenge is building a team that'll work effectively together.</span></p>
<p><span>Then, once the&nbsp;team's assembled, members&nbsp;go to work at hacking through the rough ideas and refining them. Great team dynamics are essential here. </span></p>
<p><span>"<span>Nobody pulls any punches to be polite," Catmull wrote. "This works because all the participants have come to trust and respect one another. They know it’s far better to learn about problems from colleagues when there’s still time to fix them than from the audience after it’s too late."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>In the end, the philosophy rests on&nbsp;getting creative people together, giving them a lot of autonomy and support, and providing them with an environment for honest feedback.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<h2>3)&nbsp;Google: Rewarding Risk-Taking</h2>
<p>Most managers would probably claim they encourage their employees to "be more creative" or "be more entrepreneurial." Fail hard, fail fast ... and so on and so forth. But what are they actually doing&nbsp;other than verbalizing it?</p>
<p><span>It's one thing to say it's OK to take risks and learn from failure, and it's another thing entirely to mandate&nbsp;it. Google's experimenting with the latter. You may have heard of the company's&nbsp;famous&nbsp;<span>20% time policy, which <em>requires</em>&nbsp;employees dedicate 20% of their time (roughly one day per week) developing their own side projects. Products that've come out of&nbsp;20% time&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-20-percent-time-policy-2015-4#ixzz3fnYstJ00">include Google News, Gmail, and AdSense</a>.</span></span></p>
<p><span>While the effectiveness of the program&nbsp;has&nbsp;been </span><a href="https://hbr.org/2013/08/just-how-valuable-is-googles-2-1">widely critiqued</a><span>, its implementation is a testimony to how important the folks at Google believe&nbsp;individual innovation is. Being given ample time to go beyond your comfort zone can not only open the door to new challenges and opportunities, but it also allows people to exercise their natural problem-solving skills. </span></p>
<p><span>"</span>Once you have become accustomed to taking risks, you break free from the average way of living and thinking," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacia-pierce/why-taking-risks-comes-wi_b_4235351.html">wrote Stacia Pierce in&nbsp;<em>The Huffington Post.</em></a></p>
<h2>4) Colgate: Flexible&nbsp;Working Hours</h2>
<p><span>Whether employees have kids,&nbsp;doctor's appointments, or simply work better in the early mornings or late at night, many companies have gotten good results from&nbsp;empowering them&nbsp;to work during hours that suit their lifestyle. Structure can hinder innovation, while allowing employees to focus on work when they're working. Plus, working during their own high productivity hours can help bolster creative thinking.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>At the same time, high-autonomy ethos can also&nbsp;strengthen trust and increase retention rates.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>"The start-ups of Silicon Valley have reaped the rewards of giving employees a long leash," <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/mar/15/flexible-working-culture-sector-workplace">wrote Claire Hodgson for&nbsp;<em>The Guardian.</em></a></p>
<p><span>Flexible scheduling has become more and more common across a variety of industries, and Colgate-Palmolive's only one of thousands of companies adjusting their policies to allow employees more <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/work-life-balance">work-life balance</a>. But, as a 209-year-old company with an employee base of more than&nbsp;35,000, its&nbsp;adoption of flexible working hours is particularly impressive. In fact, the&nbsp;company tops job search engine <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/06/03/the-best-big-companies-for-work-life-balance/">Indeed.com's list</a> of the 25 biggest companies that go "the extra mile" to help&nbsp;their employees have more of a work-life balance.</span></p>
<p><strong>The key to success when it comes to flexible working hours? Efficiency and professionalism.</strong></p>
<p>"Past and present employees comment on the Colgate-Palmolive employer review page [on Indeed.com] noting that management sets realistic expectations for employees, promotes time management skills, and clearly communicates," said <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/06/03/the-best-big-companies-for-work-life-balance/">Mike Steinerd</a>,&nbsp;<span>Indeed.com's director of recruiting.</span><em>&nbsp;</em>"Colgate-Palmolive offers some great benefits, such as flexible work hours, telecommute options, and nearby back-up childcare centers, which is a nice perk for work-at-home parents. As a result, Colgate-Palmolive has a high rate of employee retention, which is a testament to their culture.”</p>
<p>How effective are these innovation policies? Unfortunately, any&nbsp;metrics you'd use to measure them are a little hairy. There are plenty of folks out there who are skeptical about whether implementing&nbsp;programs like brainstorming sessions, science fairs, and&nbsp;so on actually make an impact on the bottom line. What seems to be the trend here is that, at the very least, employees like having these policies around -- and that can help you retain and attract smart people.</p>
<p><em>What innovation policies do you find interesting? Share with us in the comment section.</em></p>
<p><em><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;</em></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcreative-company-policy&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">ManagementOffice LifeDailySun, 26 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/creative-company-policy2015-07-26T12:00:00Z82% of Managers Aren't Cut Out For the Job: Do You Have What It Takes?http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-it-takes-to-manage
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-it-takes-to-manage" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Managers-research.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><em></em></span></span></p> <p><span class="content-post__body"><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/82-percent-managers-not-fit-for-job">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></span></p> <p>Struggling to get along with&nbsp;your manager? It's probably not you. There's a good chance&nbsp;your boss should never have been promoted in the first place.</p></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="content-post__body"><em><img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Managers-research.jpg" style="width: 761px; height: 315px;"></em></span></span></p> <p><span class="content-post__body"><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/82-percent-managers-not-fit-for-job">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></span></p> <p>Struggling to get along with&nbsp;your manager? It's probably not you. There's a good chance&nbsp;your boss should never have been promoted in the first place.</p> <p><a href="http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/167975/why-great-managers-rare.aspx">According to research from Gallup</a>,&nbsp;companies promote people who lack some or all of the innate talents necessary to be an effective manager a staggering <strong>82% of the time</strong>. Yikes.</p> <p>But before you start pointing fingers, consider that leaders don't exactly have an abundance of qualified candidates to choose from.&nbsp;</p> <p><span>"Great managers are scarce because the talent required to be one is rare. Gallup's research shows that about one in 10 people possess high talent to manage," Amy Adkins <a href="http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/182378/one-people-possess-talent-manage.aspx?utm_source=CUSTOMER_ENGAGEMENT&amp;utm_medium=topic&amp;utm_campaign=tiles">writes in a blog post</a>. "Though many people have some of the necessary traits, few have the unique combination of talent needed to help a team achieve the kind of excellence that significantly improves a company's performance."</span></p> <p><span><img alt="1-in-10.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/1-in-10.png" title="1-in-10.png" width="669"></span></p> <p><span>So what are the traits that separate naturally great managers from average or even subpar ones? Gallup pinpointed five "talent dimensions" that help&nbsp;exceptional managers acheive results:</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span>Motivational ability</span></li>
<li><span>Assertiveness</span></li>
<li><span>Accountability</span></li>
<li><span>Relationship building</span></li>
<li><span>Decision making</span></li>
</ol> <p>The graphic below offers a more in-depth explanation of each of these dimensions:</p> <p><span><img alt="Talent-Dimensions-2.png" class="alignCenter shadow" height="593" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Talent-Dimensions-2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 561px;" title="Talent-Dimensions.png" width="559"></span></p> <p><span>Are these traits only limited to innately talented managers? Yes and no. Adkins makes a critical distinction: "<span>Gallup defines </span><em>talent</em><span> as the natural capacity for excellence. People can learn skills, develop knowledge, and gain experience, but they can't acquire talent -- it's innate," she writes.&nbsp;In addition, high-talent managers achieve this distinction because they naturally possess all of these traits -- not just one or two.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>However,&nbsp;just because high-talent leaders are the exception to the rule&nbsp;doesn't mean it's impossible to find them.&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>"Ironically, [Gallup's chief scientist Jim] Harter is convinced that the most highly talented manager prospects are hiding in plain sight within organizations, and the use of some predictive analytics tool can help them make more informed hiring decisions," Mark C. Crowley writes in a <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3045453/hit-the-ground-running/how-the-wrong-people-get-promoted-and-how-to-change-it">Fast Company article</a>. And organizations "employing these disciplines have realized a 48% increase in profitability, a 22% increase in productivity, and 30% jump in engagement scores, the Gallup report notes."</span></span></span></p> <p><span>Besides being effective leaders&nbsp;who drive results, high-talent managers also boast other advantages. For instance, they're</span>&nbsp;twice as likely as their limited-talent counterparts to be engaged at work, and are also better brand ambassadors.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="talentperformance.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/talentperformance.png" title="talentperformance.png" width="669"></p> <p><em>Do you agree with this research? Why or why not? Managers --&nbsp;does innate talent matter more than skill development? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.&nbsp;</em></p> <p><span class="content-post__body"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fwhat-it-takes-to-manage&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">ManagementDailyWeeklySat, 25 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTesnider@hubspot.com (Emma Snider)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-it-takes-to-manage2015-07-25T12:00:00ZConfessions of a Jaded Conference Attendee: 5 Things I Loved About INBOUNDhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/5-things-i-loved-about-inbound
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<p>&nbsp;Remember your very first conference?</p>
<p>You carefully deliberated over every single session in the weeks leading up to it, bought a special outfit, and got a thrill when you finally arrived and saw your name covered in plastic.</p>
<p><em>“My very own name tag? I’ll save this forever!”</em></p><p><img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Conference-Event-INBOUND.jpg" style="width: 761px; height: 315px;">&nbsp;Remember your very first conference?</p>
<p>You carefully deliberated over every single session in the weeks leading up to it, bought a special outfit, and got a thrill when you finally arrived and saw your name covered in plastic.</p>
<p><em>“My very own name tag? I’ll save this forever!”</em></p>
<p>As the years progress, i<span>t can be hard to retain that type of excitement. After</span>&nbsp;attending dozens and dozens of events, you begin to show the telltale signs of “conference fatigue” -- namely, dumping the program in the trash can just past registration and making a beeline for the bar. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Last September leading up to <a href="http://www.inbound.com/?utm_campaign=2015%20-%20HubSpot%20Blog&amp;utm_medium=CTA&amp;utm_source=HubSpot%20Blog">HubSpot's INBOUND event</a> saw me at one of those jaded, gag-me-with-a-lanyard-already moments. My expectations were low, and I’ll admit, I only ended up going because I really,<em> really </em>wanted to hear some of <a href="http://www.inbound.com/inbound15/speakers">the amazing keynote speakers</a>.</p>
<p>However, to my great surprise, I left the conference feeling invigorated, as if I had just experienced <em>the mother of all marketing conferences.</em></p>
<p><span class="content-post__body">With that said, below you'll find five things&nbsp;</span>I ended up doing at last year's INBOUND event&nbsp;that turned out to be awesome ... but that I never would have expected.</p>
<h2><span class="content-post__body">The Top 5&nbsp;Things I Loved About INBOUND</span></h2>
<h3>1) Training</h3>
<p>If you've been looking not just for conference sessions, but for training and development opportunities in modern marketing, INBOUND is the place to be.</p>
<p>I brought a team of marketing colleagues from my company to the show as part of their own education, and each one of them raved about all of the things they learned and the quality of the speakers.&nbsp;These presentations went far beyond just case studies and best practices. They were truly valuable learning sessions for marketers of all stripes.</p>
<p>When we got back to the office, some of them even shared summaries of what they learned with their fellow team members who could not attend. Throughout the rest of the year, it was normal to hear people drop these lessons into conversations: “Well, as Rand Fishkin told me when I asked him about this at INBOUND...” and “The person who runs this kind of project at LinkedIn talked about this at INBOUND and she actually advises…”</p>
<h3>2) Recruiting&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of marketers. All interested in inbound marketing. Day after day. In the same building together -- and sometimes even in the same room.</p>
<p>Where could you find a better talent pool to recruit from, especially if you are looking for people who know how to use modern marketing software?<strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></strong></p>
<p>INBOUND is a marketing recruiter and hiring manager’s dream come true. I met so many amazingly talented marketers at this conference, and it was clear to me that the best and brightest stars in marketing come out in full-force for the event (and not just from the United States). <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/types-of-people-at-conferences">I met people</a> who came from countries all over the world, including two people who had traveled to Boston from an inbound agency in Istanbul.</p>
<p>Talk about opening up your recruitment efforts to a broader talent pool.</p>
<h3>3) Job Hunting</h3>
<p>Another thing that struck me about INBOUND is that many people who attend are actively looking for new opportunities in their careers.</p>
<p>While it’s great for hiring managers and recruiters, it’s also the perfect place to be if you’re fresh out of college, interested in moving into a different area of marketing, or simply looking for a new job.<strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></strong></p>
<p>And I&nbsp;wasn’t the only one looking for marketing genius in between conference sessions. When I mentioned to a tech company CMO that I had been trying to fill certain positions, he admitted that the sole reason he and his directors were attending INBOUND was to keep an eye out for talent.</p>
<h3>4) Networking&nbsp;</h3>
<p>It goes without saying that you should network at conferences in general, but at a conference this large and full of so many marketers interested in learning and making connections, the act of <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-ultimate-guide-to-non_awkward-effective-networking">networking somehow seems a lot easier</a>.</p>
<p>At INBOUND, the difference is that you’re surrounded by <em>like-minded</em> marketers. I’ve never been at a conference where people would so readily introduce themselves and instantly have <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/conversation-starters-networking-events">things in common to talk about</a> -- whether they were a HubSpot customer, a partner, a vendor, or simply a die-hard fan.<strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></strong></p>
<p>During one of the lunchtime breaks I had to take a phone call for work, and as soon as I put my phone down, an agency owner came over to talk to me. Her business was fascinating, and she couldn’t stop raving about inbound marketing and how it was transforming her life.</p>
<p>Moral of the story? Passionate advocates of good, non-intrusive marketing methods are everywhere you look at INBOUND.</p>
<h3>5) Having Fun</h3>
<p>Live concerts, special group events, food trucks, photo booths, happy hours … who knew a conference could be so much fun? &nbsp;I had <em>never </em>attended a conference with such an amazing collection of people, let alone an agenda full of so many thoughtfully prepared, exciting activities for all of us.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><img class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/INBOUND_Event_Activities.png" style="width: 669px;"></span></p>
<p>And that’s when it hit me. The reason I’d suffered from conference fatigue in the past was due to the fact that most conferences feel like work. And in many cases, they're best comparable to a longer-than-normal workday in which you’re on your feet all day and then work again at night to catch up with your “day job.”</p>
<p>In contrast, my experience at INBOUND was that the overall vibe is one of enjoyment and professional enrichment. It doesn’t feel like work. It feels like play -- the kind of play that marketers need in order to fuel creativity, master new technologies, and further enhance our ever-expanding set of skills.</p>
<p>If you need to get some training, recruit new team members, find a new job, network with peers, or simply let loose and have a great time, I hope to see you at INBOUND 2015.</p>
<p>Yes, you’ll definitely get your own name tag, but will you want to save it forever? Nah -- you’ll just want to come back again to get a new one ... like I will this year.</p>
<p><span class="content-post__body"><strong><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </strong></span></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2F5-things-i-loved-about-inbound&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Event MarketingProfessional DevelopmentDailyFri, 24 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTnkelly@hubspot.com (Nataly Kelly)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/5-things-i-loved-about-inbound2015-07-24T16:00:00Z12 About Us Page Examples That Are Probably Better Than Yourshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/remarkable-about-us-page-examples
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p></p> <p>When you’re building a website, it’s tempting to get distracted by all the bells and whistles of the design process and forget all about creating compelling content. But having awesome content on your website is crucial to making inbound marketing work for your business.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">So how do you balance your remarkable content creation with your&nbsp;web design needs? Why, with your 'About Us' page, of course!&nbsp;For a remarkable about&nbsp;page, all you need to do is figure out your company's unique identity, and then share it with the world.</p></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><img alt="yellow-hammocks-image.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/yellow-hammocks-image.png" title="yellow-hammocks-image.png" width="761"></p> <p>When you’re building a website, it’s tempting to get distracted by all the bells and whistles of the design process and forget all about creating compelling content. But having awesome content on your website is crucial to making inbound marketing work for your business.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">So how do you balance your remarkable content creation with your&nbsp;web design needs? Why, with your 'About Us' page, of course!&nbsp;For a remarkable about&nbsp;page, all you need to do is figure out your company's unique identity, and then share it with the world.</p> <p>I know ... easier said than done.</p> <p><span>Still, there's no excuse for you to neglect one of the most important pages on your website -- which also happens to be one of the most commonly </span>overlooked<span> pages. Let's read on to discover some companies with awesome 'About Us' pages and see how you can emulate them on your own website. By the end of this post, showing off how awesome your company is won't seem like such a challenging feat.&nbsp;</span></p> <h3><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/about-us-page-examples">Download more awesome 'About Us' page examples here, and get tips for making yours great, too.</a>&nbsp;</h3> <h2>12 of the Best About&nbsp;Page Examples</h2> <h3>1)&nbsp;<a href="http://yellowleafhammocks.com/ourstory/">Yellow Leaf Hammocks</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks: It tells us a story.</h4> <p>Have a cool story about how your product or service was helps change lives? Put it on your 'About Us' page. Good stories humanize your brand and provide context and meaning for your product. What’s more, good stories are sticky -- which means people are more likely to connect with them and pass them on.</p> <p><span>Yellow Leaf Hammocks does an amazing job of telling you about its product by </span><span>describing how the hammocks empower artisan weavers and their families</span><span>. </span><span>T</span><span>he company</span><span>&nbsp;uses </span><span>a </span><span>combination of words and easily digestible graphics</span><span>&nbsp;to paint a picture, rather than </span><span>using</span><span>&nbsp;big chunks of text. They're clear about why they're different:&nbsp;"Not a Charity," the page reads. And then: "<span>This is the basis for a brighter future, built on a hand up, not a handout."</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="yellow-hammocks-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/yellow-hammocks-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="yellow-hammocks-about-us.png" width="664"></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="yellow-hammocks-about-us-2.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/yellow-hammocks-about-us-2.png" style="width: 669px;" title="yellow-hammocks-about-us-2.png" width="664"></p> <p>Every company has a story to tell, so break out your storytelling skills from that random English class you took years ago and put them to work on your 'About Us' page. Using descriptive and emotive copy and gorgeous graphics, an 'About Us' page with a story works harder for your business than a generic one.&nbsp;</p> <h3>2)&nbsp;<a href="http://lessfilms.com/about.html">LessFilms</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It shows some personality.&nbsp;</h4> <p>You’re not like everyone else -- so why should you sound the same as everyone else? Stand out with an 'About Us' page that shows off who you really are.</p> <p>That’s exactly what video production company LessFilms accomplishes on its site using witty copy and the image of a large, tatted-up wrestler. (Yes, a wrestler.) Although the wrestler dude and the funny headlines have nothing to do with LessFilms' business model or product, they show off the founders’ sense of humor and give the brand a personality.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="lessfilms-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/lessfilms-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="lessfilms-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p>For your 'About Us'&nbsp;page, you don't need to pretend to be a comedian if that isn't part of your brand's personality. Find another aspect of your brand's personality to showcase and make a lasting impression&nbsp;on your website visitors.</p> <h3>3)&nbsp;<a href="http://eighthourday.com/about/">Eight Hour Day</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It's human.</h4> <p>People tend to think that 'About Us'&nbsp;pages have to sound formal to gain credibility and trust. But most people find it easier to trust real human beings rather than a description that sounds like it came from an automaton. Trying to sound formal on your 'About Us'&nbsp;page results in stiff, “safe” copy and design -- the perfect way to make sure your company stays invisible.</p> <p>Eight Hour Day does a great job of showcasing the people behind the company to make the brand seem human. Including the founders' names in the header of the website and featuring the photos of them on the 'About Us'&nbsp;page drives home the point that Nathan and Katie are a "couple that loves to create."&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="eight-hour-day-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/eight-hour-day-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="eight-hour-day-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p>When you’re whipping up your 'About Us'&nbsp;page, make sure to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31068/31-Fluffy-Buzzwords-Marketers-Overuse-and-Abuse.aspx">avoid industry jargon</a> and instead use your authentic voice to describe your product or service. Sure, it needs to be polished and free of errors, but it should always sound friendly and real.</p> <h3>4) <a href="https://grovelabs.io/our-story">Grove Labs</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks: It shows&nbsp;<em>and</em>&nbsp;tells.</h4> <p>One minute of video is worth 1.8 million words,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/a-minute-of-video-is-worth-18-million-words-according-to-forrester-research-1900666.htm">according to Forrester Research's Dr. James McQuivey</a>. Want to tell your story in a quick, digestible, and engaging way? Tell it through video.</p> <p>Grove Labs is&nbsp;built&nbsp;on an innovative concept: that we&nbsp;can create a more resilient system where the means of food production is spread out, in part by making it easier for&nbsp;<em>anyone</em> to build and grow healthy fruits, vegetables, and herbs right in their own homes. It's a cool story, and one that makes for a very intriguing story on video. So as soon as you arrive on Grove Labs' 'About Us' page, you're greeted with a high definition video preview that spans the entire screen and invites you to play it to meet their founders and learn their story.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="grove-labs-about-us" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_6.04.14_PM.png" style="width: 669px;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_6.04.14_PM.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span>What's more, the 'About Us' video is responsive. This is super important not only because it offers site visitors&nbsp;a great mobile experience,&nbsp;but also&nbsp;for Grove Labs' Google search ranking -- especially now that <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/mobile-website-search-optimization-tips">mobile search queries are beginning to surpass desktop</a> and more people are finding and browsing websites on their smartphones.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img alt="grove-labs-about-us-mobile.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/grove-labs-about-us-mobile.png" style="width: 450px;" title="grove-labs-about-us-mobile.png" width="450">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Video is a unique and compelling way to share your story and explain what your company does&nbsp;and your team values. But be sure to include text along with your video in case your visitors&nbsp;can't watch a&nbsp;video at the time or are having trouble playing it.</p> <h3>5) <a href="http://www.fortyonetwenty.com/about-us/">FortyOneTwenty</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It lets customers do the talking.</h4> <p>Would you rather trust a company talking about how awesome it is or a colleague raving about the company's work? I'd bet a lot of money you'd prefer the latter -- that colleague is more likely to be unbiased and give you a realistic understanding of what the company is like. Including customer testimonials on your 'About Us'&nbsp;can give prospects and leads a more down-to-earth view of your company.&nbsp;</p> <p>Although&nbsp;FortyOneTwenty's&nbsp;'About Us'&nbsp;page starts out with a classic (but well-designed) value proposition, the key part of the page is the testimonial section below the fold. By including testimonials (with pictures so site visitors can put faces to names) and a list of companies that "trust" the company, FortyOneTwenty&nbsp;automatically becomes more likable and trustworthy.</p> <span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text"><img alt="fortyonetwenty-about-us" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/fortyonetwenty-about-us.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="664"></span></span></span></span></span></span> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="fortyonetwenty-about-us-2.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/fortyonetwenty-about-us-2.png" style="width: 669px;" title="fortyonetwenty-about-us-2.png" width="664"></p> <p>Personal testimonials build credibility and trust, which is why they have a natural home on your 'About Us'&nbsp;page. If you have a customer who has nothing but good things to say about your company, why not hand them the mic and let them do the talking?</p> <h3>6)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.renttherunway.com/pages/about">Rent the Runway</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks: It lets the employees do the talking.</h4> <p>Customer testimonials are a great way to&nbsp;show your value. But what about&nbsp;<em>employee&nbsp;</em>testimonials? The 'About Us' page is a great place to showcase&nbsp;some of your culture, too.</p> <p>While Rent the Runway's 'About Us' page covers a lot of ground,&nbsp;including a really cool section on how their dress rental model works, we love that the section&nbsp;coupling&nbsp;anecdotes and quotes from the company's employees with fun pictures of office life and company parties. It's gives visitors a glimpse into life at the company in a fun but not overstated way.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rent-the-runway-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rent-the-runway-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="rent-the-runway-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Employee testimonials and pictures&nbsp;humanize your brand in a different way than just&nbsp;headshots of the leadership team. Put in a "We're Hiring" call-to-action button at the bottom, and you're golden.</p> <h3>7)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.apptopia.com/about">Apptopia</a></h3> <h4><strong>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It skips the business babble.</strong></h4> <p>Think industry jargon makes you sound super smart on your 'About Us' page? Think again. People want -- and appreciate -- straight talk about what your business does. After all, if people can't figure out what you do, how will they know they need your product or service?</p> <p>So, skip the industry lingo like Apptopia does on its 'About Us' page. The startup's simple but polished language effectively communicates the company's offering while still allowing the Average Joe to understand it.</p> <p><img alt="apptopia-about-us" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/apptopia-about-us.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" width="664"><br> The moral of the story here is that you should try to get rid of jargon on your 'About Us' page whenever possible. Use short and punchy sentences to explain complex products and ideas in a simple way. Show your smarts through simple copy -- not business babble.</p> <h3>8)&nbsp;<a href="https://moz.com/about">Moz</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks: It's unique and visually interesting.</h4> <p>Basically every company has an 'About Us' page -- why not make yours&nbsp;stand out? Instead of following the classic script and writing a few paragraphs about the company's mission and how it was founded, there are plenty of ways to make it a little more visually compelling.</p> <p>For example, a lot's happened since Moz was founded in 2004, so&nbsp;they chose to share those milestones&nbsp;using a timeline. They did a great&nbsp;job by using a fun and clean design,&nbsp;clear headers, concise&nbsp;blurbs, and little&nbsp;graphics to break up the text. We love how humbly they preface the timeline, too, with a thank you to their community: "We owe a huge thanks to our community for joining us on this awesome journey, and we hope that you’ll continue to be a part of our story."</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="moz-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/moz-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="moz-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">People like visual content because it's visually pleasing and easy to skim and absorb. Think about ways you can&nbsp;use more visual formats to break the typical 'About Us' page style of paragraph text.</p>
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<h3>9)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cultivatedwit.com/">Cultivated Wit</a></h3>
<h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It totally breaks the mold.</h4>
<p>You don't always need to wait for a website visitor to get to your 'About Us' page to make a statement. I know this whole post is dedicated to 'About Us' pages, but it's important to remember that you don't always have to fit the mold to showcase your company's personality.</p>
<p>Cultivated Wit&nbsp;is different. The c<span>reative agency and media company</span>&nbsp;communicates that point with both an&nbsp;edgy name and an incredibly fun&nbsp;story told through video and parallax scrolling, right&nbsp;on their homepage.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cultivated-wit-about-us-1" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.07_PM.png" style="width: 669px;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.07_PM.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cultivated-wit-about-us-2" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.22_PM.png" style="width: 669px;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.22_PM.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cultivated-wit-about-us-3" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.59_PM.png" style="width: 669px;" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-20_at_3.00.59_PM.png" width="669"></p>
</div> <p><span>Below is their actual 'About Us' page, which is a gem once you get there.&nbsp;But it's&nbsp;great to see a company embrace its own brand of quirk throughout the site.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img alt="cultivated-wit-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/cultivated-wit-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="cultivated-wit-about-us.png" width="669"></span></p> <p>Even if you have a dedicated 'About Us' page, there are plenty of ways to creatively showcase your company's personality throughout your website. Breaking the mold is harder than filling a stock 'About Us' template, but it can have a significant payoff for your brand.</p> <h3>10) <a href="http://recode.net/about/">Re/code</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It really&nbsp;connects you with their team.</h4> <p>One signature piece of any 'About Us' page is a list of company leaders and executives -- a team roster, if you will.&nbsp;Most companies include&nbsp;names, positions, headshots, maybe some short descriptions, and then call it a day.&nbsp;But no one said you had to stop there -- turns out there's a lot&nbsp;more you can do to connect the people visiting your website actually connect with your team.</p> <p>For example, take a look at what Re/code's done with their roster. Not only do you get each person's&nbsp;name, position, and headshot, you also get their biographies, ethics statements, a list of recent articles they've written, <em>and</em> social buttons linking&nbsp;directly to their&nbsp;Twitter and Facebook pages and/or emails.&nbsp;Plus, the user experience for these links is great: The information pops up within that window instead of sending me to another webpage.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="recode-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/recode-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="recode-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">You want your visitors to connect with the folks on your team -- so why not give them easy access to your team's social media pages and other relevant information? (<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/29544/The-Ultimate-Cheat-Sheet-for-Creating-Social-Media-Buttons.aspx">Here's a cheat sheet for creating social media buttons</a> if you want to give this a try.)</p> <h3 style="text-align: left;">11) <a href="https://getpebble.com/our_story">Pebble</a></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks:&nbsp;It's lovable and memorable.</h4> <p style="text-align: left;">What's the difference between "average"&nbsp;marketing and<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/guide-to-lovable-marketing-campaigns"> lovable marketing</a>? It's the difference between creating generic webpages that provide&nbsp;great&nbsp;information, but in a straightforward, black-and-white kind of way -- versus creating webpages that provide great information <em>and&nbsp;</em>are&nbsp;infused with color, personality, and stay true to a company's unique brand voice.&nbsp;When you create lovable marketing, you can start a movement of brand evangelists and advocates who will help you grow.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Where does this fit in to a company's 'About Us' page?&nbsp;The folks at Pebble, a smartwatch company known&nbsp;for being <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/discover/most-funded">one of the most-funded Kickstarter campaigns ever</a>, could have typed up a few paragraphs about how they started with just an idea and then decided to quit their jobs and make it a reality, and then their crowdfunding campaign became a huge success, and now look where they are today ... blah blah blah. That would've been pretty "average."</p> <p style="text-align: left;">But instead, they chose to turn their 'About Us' page into a funny, timeline-like set of graphics that puts the company in the context of computing since the 1940s. "Zis iz ze future!" says a very pixelated Konrad Zuse, the inventor of home computing, in the graphic that greets you when you first arrive on the page.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="pebble-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/pebble-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="pebble-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span>Infuse personality and a sense of humor (if that's your brand voice) right into your story to make the people who visit your page feel something. That's how you create memorable, lovable marketing.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: left;"><span>12) <a href="http://mariecatribs.com/about/">Marie Catribs</a></span></h3> <h4>Why the 'About Us' Page Rocks: It's unexpected.</h4> <p style="text-align: left;">Let's face it: 'About Us' pages aren't usually the most riveting pages on a company's website.&nbsp;In fact,&nbsp;most companies kind of make theirs look like an afterthought. But even if you don't have budget for juicy graphics or video or parallax scrolling, there are other ways to make your 'About Us' page unexpected just with the copy.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Marie Catrib's is a restaurant, so you might think their 'About Us' page would be your typical "here's how we started, here's what we believe in, etc." story. And that <em>is&nbsp;</em>what Marie Catrib's page tells us -- but they do so in a really interesting way. The first thing your eyes are drawn to on the restaurant's 'About Us' page is a header&nbsp;that says,&nbsp;"It's okay to make a mess, experiments can lead to beautiful things." Quite philosophical for a place to have dinner. Next comes the story about the owner, but it starts in an unexpected way: "It's hard to imagine, but at one time Marie was banned from the family kitchen." A line like that draws in the audience because we know it's not going to be a typical story.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="marie-catribs-about-us.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/marie-catribs-about-us.png" style="width: 669px;" title="marie-catribs-about-us.png" width="669"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Think about ways you can tell your story in a unique, unexpected way to really draw the readers in. It's amazing what impression you can make on site visitors just by getting creative with the copy.</p> <p><em>Which companies do you think have awesome 'About Us' pages? Share your favorites with us below!</em></p> <p><em>Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2013&nbsp;and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.</em></p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fremarkable-about-us-page-examples&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">DesignContent MarketingDailyWeeklyFri, 24 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/remarkable-about-us-page-examples2015-07-24T12:00:00Z13 Productivity Tips for the Busy Professional [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/productivity-tips-busy-professional
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<span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p></p> <p>We’ve all been there. It’s 5 p.m. on a Friday. You desperately want to start your weekend … but you have that incredibly important project you still need to finish up. You think back on the week: What could you have done differently to get your work done and leave at a decent hour of the day?</p></span><span class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_rich_text" style=""><p><img alt="Office-productivitiy.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Office-productivitiy.png" style="width: 761px;" title="Office-productivitiy.png" width="761"></p> <p>We’ve all been there. It’s 5 p.m. on a Friday. You desperately want to start your weekend … but you have that incredibly important project you still need to finish up. You think back on the week: What could you have done differently to get your work done and leave at a decent hour of the day?</p> <p>Finding the time to get all of your tasks done while also having a personal life can be tricky, but the key isn’t to work <em>longer</em> hours – you’ve got to be more <em>productive </em>in the hours you are working.</p> <p>But there’s no one formula to unlocking your productivity. Some people are great at working a strict 9-5 schedule. Others are better off sleeping late and working into the evening.</p> <p>To help you get some ideas for ways to be more productive, we put together the infographic below with some tips for improving your time management, finding more energy to be more productive, using your space to increase your productivity, and finding apps to improve and automate your work life.</p> <p>But remember: Productivity is all about striking a balance. No one method of organization or app is going to be a best fit for everyone. You just need to find the right balance of tricks for <em>you </em>to more easily manage your workload.</p> <p>So check out the infographic below to uncover these tips, and be one step closer to getting out on time at the end of the week. &nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=blog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fproductivity-tip-busy-professional&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhub%2F53%2Fhubfs%2FProductivity-Infographic.png%3Ft%3D1437660526313%26width%3D699&amp;description=13%20Productivity%20Tips%20for%20the%20Busy%20Professional%20(Infographic%20by%20%40HubSpot)"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a></p> <p> <img alt="Productivity-Infographic.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Productivity-Infographic.png" style="width: 699px;" title="Productivity-Infographic.png" width="699"></p>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">Share This Image on Your Site</span></strong>
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please include attribution to http://blog.hubspot.com with this graphic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href='blog.hubspot.com/marketing/productivity-tips-busy-professional'&gt;&lt;img src='http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/hubfs/Productivity-Infographic.png?t=1437661335674&amp;width=699' alt='How-to-be-more-productive' width='600' border='0' /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</div> <p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p></span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fproductivity-tips-busy-professional&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">ProductivityOffice LifeDailyWeeklyFri, 24 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTbcartwright@hubspot.com (Bethany Cartwright)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/productivity-tips-busy-professional2015-07-24T10:00:00ZHow to Get a Personalized Assessment of Your Website [Free Tool]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-grader-relaunch
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-grader-relaunch" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/website-grader.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Back in 2007, we launched a tool called Website Grader. Since then, it's evaluated&nbsp;4 million websites,&nbsp;helping many businesses identify website optimization opportunities.</p>
<p>But a lot has changed since 2007. Websites have changed significantly in terms of design, functionality, and purpose. So, to continue to be helpful, Website&nbsp;Grader needed to change, too.</p><p><img alt="website-grader.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/website-grader.png" title="website-grader.png" width="761"></p>
<p>Back in 2007, we launched a tool called Website Grader. Since then, it's evaluated&nbsp;4 million websites,&nbsp;helping many businesses identify website optimization opportunities.</p>
<p>But a lot has changed since 2007. Websites have changed significantly in terms of design, functionality, and purpose. So, to continue to be helpful, Website&nbsp;Grader needed to change, too.</p>
<p>Well, today, we're excited to unveil a redesigned <a href="http://website.grader.com">Website Grader</a>&nbsp;capable of assessing websites using&nbsp;modern ranking criteria. Read on to learn what the new tool does and how you can get a personalized assessment of your own.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>What is Website Grader?</h3>
<p><a href="http://website.grader.com">Website Grader</a> is a free online tool that allows anyone to receive a free, personalized report that grades their site against key metrics,&nbsp;including performance, mobile readiness, SEO and security.</p>
<h3>How does Website Grader differ from&nbsp;Marketing Grader?&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Website Grader isn't the same as&nbsp;<a href="http://marketing.grader.com">Marketing Grader</a>. While Marketing Grader focuses on assessing a website in terms of marketing activities such as blogs, landing pages, and social media, Website Grader is built to specifically focus on the core areas that impact a site's ability to rise to the top of search rankings.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>How does Website Grader work?</h3>
<p>Simply enter your website URL&nbsp;and email address and, within a few seconds, Website Grader will generate a personalized score between 1-100. You'll also receive a report that details your website's performance against each of the key criteria.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://website.grader.com"><img alt="Website_Grader_HomePage.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Website_Grader_2.0/Website_Grader_HomePage.jpg" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Website_Grader_HomePage.jpg" width="669"></a></p>
<p>The criteria are as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Performance: </strong>Optimizing your website's performance is crucial to increasing traffic, improving conversion rates, and generating more leads and revenue. We’ll assess your site's&nbsp;page size, page requests, page speed,&nbsp;and more.</li>
<li><strong>Mobile Readiness</strong>: Traffic from mobile devices is more important than ever before. It’s important to optimize your website for mobile to ensure you aren't missing out on valuable traffic, leads, and revenue. We’ll check how mobile-friendly your site is against criteria such as&nbsp;responsiveness and viewport settings.</li>
<li><strong>SEO:</strong>&nbsp;Your site has to be easy to discover. We’ll assess whether your website is easy for users to find&nbsp;and easy for search bots to understand by grading page titles, meta descriptions, and more.</li>
<li><strong>Security: </strong>Using an SSL certificate protects your website from attacks and provides your visitors with the confidence that your site is authentic, which means they might feel safer when&nbsp;entering their contact details. If you have it, your site will receive a higher grading.</li>
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<p>At the bottom of the report, you’ll also find some recommendations on the issues you should tackle to improve your site's performance and, of course, your Website Grader score.</p>
<h3><a href="http://website.grader.com"><img height="284" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Website_Grader_2.0/Website_Grader_Recommendationsv2-805108-edited.jpg" width="669"><br></a></h3>
<h3>I've graded my website, what's next?</h3>
<p>Got a score below 90? That’s okay, there’s always room for improvement. Why not share your results with colleagues and work together to implement any necessary improvements? With Website Grader, you can quickly email your personalized&nbsp;report to others. Just click on the share icon on the top-right navigation and enter the email address of your intended recipient.</p>
<p>Scoring higher than 90? Wow, your site is pretty amazing so why not let the world know?! You can quickly and easily share your report far and wide to&nbsp;colleagues and friends! Just click on the relevant icon to share it via your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: #ffff00;"><a href="http://website.grader.com"><img alt="Website_Grader_Sharing.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Website_Grader_2.0/Website_Grader_Sharing.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Website_Grader_Sharing.jpg" width="471"></a></span></p>
<p><em>Have you used Website Grader to assess your website already? How'd you do?</em></p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-f55ad1c0-6bfb-46f0-b23a-1a8a547fbf13"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=f55ad1c0-6bfb-46f0-b23a-1a8a547fbf13&amp;pid=53"><img alt="evaluate your website's performance for free" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/f55ad1c0-6bfb-46f0-b23a-1a8a547fbf13.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fwebsite-grader-relaunch&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">SEOMobile MarketingDailyThu, 23 Jul 2015 13:30:00 GMTecmurphy@hubspot.com (Éadaoin Murphy)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-grader-relaunch2015-07-23T13:30:00Z16 of the Best Examples of Mobile-Friendly Website Designhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sexy-mobile-sites-why-we-love-them-list
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sexy-mobile-sites-why-we-love-them-list" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/mobile-websites.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Do you remember the last time you went to a mobile site and had an -- ahem -- <em>unmoving</em> experience? (Pun intended.)&nbsp;Maybe the site wasn't responsive. Or perhaps&nbsp;it was really difficult to find what you were looking for. Or, maybe it just loaded really slowly.</p>
<p>Whatever it was, you may have left to go to another site as a result. Google knows that unhappy website visitors will go elsewhere, thereby increasing bounce rates and decreasing the chances a site will rank on mobile searches.</p><p><img alt="mobile-websites.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/mobile-websites.jpeg" title="mobile-websites.jpeg" width="761"></p>
<p>Do you remember the last time you went to a mobile site and had an -- ahem -- <em>unmoving</em> experience? (Pun intended.)&nbsp;Maybe the site wasn't responsive. Or perhaps&nbsp;it was really difficult to find what you were looking for. Or, maybe it just loaded really slowly.</p>
<p>Whatever it was, you may have left to go to another site as a result. Google knows that unhappy website visitors will go elsewhere, thereby increasing bounce rates and decreasing the chances a site will rank on mobile searches.</p>
<p>That's why, back in April, Google released <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-algorithm-change-mobile-friendly">their much-anticipated mobile update</a>&nbsp;--&nbsp;which set the marketing world ablaze with commentary. Millions of tweets were posted about the mobile update, hundreds of thousands of people searched for "mobilegeddon" on Google, and people made a lot of graphics that look like this one:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="mobilegeddon.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/mobilegeddon.jpg" style="width: 550px;" title="mobilegeddon.jpg" width="550"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><em>Image Credit: <a href="http://searchengineland.com/tomorrow-is-mobilegeddon-are-you-ready-for-the-google-mobile-friendly-update-219291">SearchEngineLand</a></em></span></p>
<p>While some of the commotion was certainly a bit extreme, the update was a big deal, <em>is</em> a big deal, and will mean billions in revenue gained or lost in the coming years. This is especially true now that&nbsp;mobile search queries have <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/mobile-website-search-optimization-tips">already begun to surpass desktop</a>.</p>
<p>Many brands across the globe have been working to improve their mobile website experiences. To help inspire your own mobile web design, the team here at <a href="http://www.crayon.co">Crayon</a>&nbsp;has compiled&nbsp;16 companies&nbsp;that are doing a great job with their mobile optimization.&nbsp;Let's take&nbsp;a look at the&nbsp;designs of their mobile websites and go over what makes them so great.</p>
<h3><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/mobile-friendly">Download our free guide here to learn how to design your own mobile-friendly website.</a></h3>
<h2><span>16 of the Best Mobile Sites</span></h2>
<h3>1)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/11745049/">Beaglecat</a></h3>
<p>With its bold colors and simple design, Beaglecat’s mobile homepage gives visitors a lot of helpful information&nbsp;without seeming overwhelming. With a few quick scrolls, visitors can quickly get an overview of&nbsp;Beaglecat’s mission, the value they provide, and who's on the team. To learn more about any of these things, you can click on big call-to-action buttons that say things like "More Details" and "Learn More." Finally, the forms on their pages are really short and easy to fill out on a mobile device.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="beaglecat-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/beaglecat-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="beaglecat-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>2) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12072871/">Oakley Hall Hotel</a></h3>
<p>When you're looking for a hotel, the top three things you want to see are big pictures of the rooms and spaces, room availability, and pricing information, right?&nbsp;Oakley Hall does a tremendous job capturing the essence of their hotel with big, high-definition&nbsp;images and a mobile-friendly availability feature that leads users to pricing options. They also provide&nbsp;concise but enticing descriptions of their room styles, as well as call-to-action buttons for users who want to&nbsp;learn more about weddings and their exclusive dining club.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="oakley-hall-hotel-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/oakley-hall-hotel-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="oakley-hall-hotel-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>3) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12044137/">Impact Branding &amp; Design</a></h3>
<p>Impact’s mobile site is a great example of blending multiple elements of your value proposition into one, succinct scrolling page. Starting off with easy-to-click buttons, users can learn more about what Impact does and the value they provide -- followed by customer testimonials, a graphic on what&nbsp;inbound marketing is, and finally, a big call-to-action button linking to their learning center.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="impact-branding-design-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/impact-branding-design-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="impact-branding-design-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>4) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/14543911/">Speckyboy</a></h3>
<p>Speckyboy is a design blog -- so you'd expect a great mobile experience from them, right? Well, they deliver. The experience scrolling through Speckyboy’s blog is flawless, including intriguing imagery, article titles in large fonts, and an easy-to-read introductory paragraph teasing each article, which users can click if they want to read the rest.</p>
<p>For lead capture, Speckyboy offers a mobile-friendly form that solicits subscribers to their newsletter: All you have to do is enter your email address. Toward the bottom of the&nbsp;homepage, Speckyboy keeps&nbsp;users engaged by offering two separate list of historic blog posts that users can click, including the “Most Popular” and “Recommended.”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="speckyboy-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/speckyboy-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="speckyboy-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>5) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/11658709/">Landscape Leadership</a></h3>
<p>One of the first things users see on Landscape’s mobile homepage is a press-to-dial phone number&nbsp;that&nbsp;connects directly to the firm. We love the placement of that call-to-action. The rest of the site then goes on to explain what Landscape specializes in, followed by useful content including blog articles, website links, and large, easy-to-press social media buttons. For visitors who want more information, Landscape provides a large search box near&nbsp;the bottom of the mobile page.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="landscape-leadership-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/landscape-leadership-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="landscape-leadership-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>6) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/13891463/">SyncShow</a></h3>
<p><span>Everything about SyncShow's mobile website&nbsp;is clear, crisp, and concise.&nbsp;</span>Their mobile homepage immediately offers can’t-miss call-to-action buttons, followed by a full description of their target market, B2B and B2C manufacturing companies. When you scroll down you'll find succinct explanations of&nbsp;how the manufacturing&nbsp;industry's changed, which is very relevant for their target audience. You'll also find a short description of the company's value proposition and a case study highlighting a recent 5X return on customer investment. The pattern here? Short blurbs followed by call-to-action buttons for visitors who want to learn more.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="syncshow-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/syncshow-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="syncshow-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>7) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12099640/">NudeAudio</a></h3>
<p>NudeAudio sells portable speakers -- and their mobile homepage does a great job of providing visitors with exactly what they're looking for on the website: Striking product imagery coupled with feature details and big call-to-action buttons. They also include product update links that send people directly to their blog, as well as a one-field form where visitors can enter their email address to sign up for the newsletter.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="nudeaudio-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/nudeaudio-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="nudeaudio-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>8) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/13857935/">Influence &amp; Co.</a></h3>
<p>Near the top of Influence and Co.'s mobile website is this compelling, inviting, and easy-to-understand value proposition:&nbsp;“We work with you to get you published in targeted online publications that showcase your expertise to your exact audience.” They&nbsp;go on to display a visual testimonial from Dell,&nbsp;along with a very short, touch-friendly form for interested prospects to quickly drop off their contact information.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="influence-and-company-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/influence-and-company-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="influence-and-company-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>9) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12157246/">1252 Tapas Bar</a></h3>
<p>What would you want from a tapas bar's mobile website? If you answered food pictures, a blurb about delicious, locally sourced food, and menus, then you'll love this website as much as we do. Their full menu is designed to be mobile responsive, so no pinching and zooming is needed. They also tell&nbsp;a charming story about their head chef,&nbsp;Wes Tyler right on the homepage, which gives a welcoming feel to this local restaurant.</p>
<p>While the page has all of the relevant contact information and hours of operation, we love the special offering at the bottom of the page, which highlight 1252’s weekly food-and-drink specials with delicious-sounding descriptions.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="tapas-bar-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tapas-bar-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="tapas-bar-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>10) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12169374/">TrendKite</a></h3>
<p>TrendKite takes all the good things about desktop websites and puts it on their mobile page. Their homepage starts with an&nbsp;aesthetically pleasing visual above the fold, and then goes on to&nbsp;explain their value proposition and contact information. Keep scrolling, and you'll be able to click into ebook offers and read more information catered specifically to you, as they separate content "For Brands" and "For PR Agencies." There are well-positions call-to-action buttons throughout.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="trendkite-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/trendkite-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="trendkite-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>11) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12027706/">Dog-a-holics</a></h3>
<p>Great mobile webpages have a lot of compelling imagery -- and Dog-a-holics knows to lead with their best K-9 face forward. Following an adorable first picture, visitors can read three, succinct reasons the company loves dogs, which are separated by&nbsp;delightful little icons.Before providing all details on store locations, hours of operation and clickable contact information, Dog-a-holics includes a few humanizing&nbsp;details about the company to make them feel closer to the customer: a picture of the founder, and a call-to-action&nbsp;offering visitors the option to join as a “special member” of the store.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="dog-a-holics-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/dog-a-holics-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="dog-a-holics-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>12) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12158660/">Rover Labs</a></h3>
<p>Rover Labs' mobile homepage does three things exceptionally well.&nbsp;First, the page tells an easy-to-understand yet compelling story of why they exist and why their target audience&nbsp;needs them. Second, they include some awesome product shots that are really easily digestible on mobile. Finally, the entire experience is clean, brief, and offers users plenty of information along with calls-to-action to learn more.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rover-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rover-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="rover-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>13) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12192855/">VentureFar</a></h3>
<p>VentureFar's mobile website has a difficult goal: They need to convince users to climb Mount Kilimanjaro ... on a cell phone. What's impressive about the site is that they actually do a really good job.&nbsp;Starting off with a postcard image of the mountain, they immediately offer users the ability to compare tour-operating prices. (Yes, they know their demographic well.) They also include one of the&nbsp;better mobile responsive charts we’ve seen, which includes a simply designed but detailed chart showing all the&nbsp;tours they offer. Finally, their homepage ends with a short blurb answering frequently asked questions, like&nbsp;“Why Climb?” and “When Should You Go?” Being a remote tour company, VentureFar is also sure to include details on their licenses/verifications and options to book direct.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="venturefar-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/venturefar-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="venturefar-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">14) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/11749628/">Blue Zone SUP</a></h3>
<p>Blue Zone SUP is a stand-up paddle boarding camp in Costa Rica, and after seeing their mobile site, we totally want to go. Their site begins with an enchanting hero image, followed by a quick company description and well-produced video that works really well on mobile.&nbsp;They also show visitors a&nbsp;nice chart they can&nbsp;measure their skill level by on a scale of one to five. This way, when browsing camp dates (which is offered via call-to-action button under their video), visitors&nbsp;will know which weeks are most applicable to their skill level. To showcase more of the company culture, Blue Zone provides links to blog articles and additional imagery.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="blue-zone-sup-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/blue-zone-sup-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="blue-zone-sup-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>15) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/13901053/">TinyPulse</a></h3>
<p>TinyPulse’s mobile homepage is loaded with visuals, including customers from more well known brands and PR features from national&nbsp;publications. Instead of a text-heavy value proposition, the one on their mobile site is&nbsp;visual and concise, and they follow it with a mobile responsive product video.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="tinypulse-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tinypulse-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="tinypulse-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3>16) <a href="https://www.crayon.co/page/12975467/">AX Fitness, LLC</a></h3>
<p>AX Fitness wastes no time in showcasing&nbsp;their culture: The very first thing you see when you go to their mobile site is a large picture of a group running a&nbsp;foot ladder&nbsp;workout, along with the phrase (in all caps): “Real People. Serious Fitness.” We commend the focused approach. Keep scrolling, and you'll immediately see a "first free class" call-to-action button&nbsp;along with&nbsp;a special first month deal. It also includes a&nbsp;few words from the owner, showing visitors&nbsp;her passion and commitment to customers as both a gym owner and fitness enthusiast. From there, users can learn about personal training, group fitness, read blog articles, and get information on exciting, upcoming events.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="ax-fitness-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/ax-fitness-mobile-website.png" style="width: 669px;" title="ax-fitness-mobile-website.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span>(To see all of the designs featured in this article, visit the </span><a href="https://www.crayon.co/dan_slagen/collections/hubspot-cms-mobile-websites/">HubSpot COS&nbsp;Websites</a><span> Collection as well as the </span><a href="https://www.crayon.co/dan_slagen/collections/wordpress-squarespace-mobile-homepage-designs/">Squarespace &amp; WordPress</a><span> Collection at </span><a href="http://www.crayon.co">Crayon</a>.<span>)</span></p>
<p>Oftentimes, visitors to your website will visit your website from both desktop and mobile devices. Perhaps they'll find your site while scrolling through their mobile Twitter feed, then switch to desktop for more in-depth research later, and then send themselves an article from their desktop research session to read on mobile on the train home.</p>
<p>The takeaway here? It's critical your content can be read anywhere, with ease.</p>
<p><em>So, what other companies have fantastic mobile sites? Share your favorites with us, and be sure to mention why they're so great.</em></p>
<p><em><em>Editor's Note: This post was originally published in December 2013&nbsp;and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.</em></em></p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fsexy-mobile-sites-why-we-love-them-list&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Mobile MarketingDesignDailyThu, 23 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTdanslagen@gmail.com (Dan Slagen)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sexy-mobile-sites-why-we-love-them-list2015-07-23T12:00:00ZBig Best Buy Blunder: $200 Gift Cards for $15http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/big-best-buy-blunder-gift-cards
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<p>Best Buy owes Amazon a lot of gratitude right about now. Because of the hype surrounding Prime Day, most blogs and news outlets were too busy writing about <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/amazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust">tepid deals from Amazon</a> to notice the red-hot deal Best Buy <em>accidentally</em> offered. Yes, the world was <a href="https://twitter.com/C8KES/status/621221939516837889">too busy complaining about granny panties on sale</a>&nbsp;at 6:00 am to notice that Best Buy was selling $200 gift cards for only $15.</p><p><img alt="best buy blunder ecommerce" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/mistake-computer_copy.jpg" style="width: 761px;" title="mistake-computer_copy.jpg" width="751"></p>
<p>Best Buy owes Amazon a lot of gratitude right about now. Because of the hype surrounding Prime Day, most blogs and news outlets were too busy writing about <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/amazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust">tepid deals from Amazon</a> to notice the red-hot deal Best Buy <em>accidentally</em> offered. Yes, the world was <a href="https://twitter.com/C8KES/status/621221939516837889">too busy complaining about granny panties on sale</a>&nbsp;at 6:00 am to notice that Best Buy was selling $200 gift cards for only $15.</p>
<p>Whoops.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those who did notice, as you might imagine, bought up as many of the gift cards as their bank account and credit card balances would allow. It begs the question: what actually happens when an ecommerce company makes a big blunder like this? Surely the company has to honor the purchase, right?</p>
<h2>Past Pricing Mistakes</h2>
<p>Surprisingly enough—or maybe not, considering their latest mistake—Best Buy made the biggest blunder list before. For their Black Friday sales in 2011, Best Buy slashed prices so much that they couldn’t handle the influx of purchases. Inventory was gone in a matter of minutes and then totally oversold when their ecommerce platform couldn’t keep track of the numbers quickly enough. This led to a <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/best-buy-black-friday/?_r=0">cancellation of orders</a> just days before Christmas.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Alitalia Airlines had a similar pricing mishap when someone <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-business-blunders-in-history-2013-11">entered the price for $3,900 tickets as only $39</a>. Though they tried to cancel the flights, they did eventually agree to honor every single one of the tickets. Though that decision injured the airline, with a loss totaling $7.72 million, Alitalia still stands today.</p>
<p>Even retail giant <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/walmart-super-low-prices-website-glitch/story?id=20804317">Walmart isn’t immune to mistakes</a>. In 2013, a pricing glitch offered huge price reductions on a wide range of products. Some as expensive as $500 were purchased for $9. In the end, because so many different products were affected, the company decided to cancel the sales and refund customer money. They also, however, offered $10 gift cards to each and every buyer to ease the sting a little.</p>
<h2>What to Do</h2>
<p>When a mistake of this magnitude is made, businesses have a big decision to make. How can you pit your current bottom line against the happiness of your customers? Making the wrong choice now could affect the future of your business. In the case of Alitalia, honoring their mistake prices may have been the key to their long-term success. With Walmart’s decision to cancel orders, the gift card salve might have saved the day.&nbsp;</p>
<p>What, then, would Best Buy do to still the waters? As of now, only a cancellation of orders has happened. Customers who purchased even small amounts of gift cards were not given any other options nor were efforts made to soothe their pain. Still, it’s early days, and Best Buy managed to escape a lot of the publicity usually reserved for such major blunders—again thanks to Amazon. As with their Black Friday mistake, some form of customer delight may be offered later, especially if their take-back technique eventually results in an ailing bottom line.</p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fbig-best-buy-blunder-gift-cards&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceThu, 23 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTcbeale@hubspot.com (Corey Beale)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/big-best-buy-blunder-gift-cards2015-07-23T11:00:00ZPublishers: Stop Sending Terrible Emailshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers.-stop-sending-terrible-emails
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers.-stop-sending-terrible-emails" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/Spamemail.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>The dreaded “unsubscribe” metric. Taming this number&nbsp;is vital for maintaining a healthy contact list to&nbsp;use&nbsp;for promoting your own products or those&nbsp;of potential advertisers. Unfortunately,&nbsp;often times&nbsp;the more emails you send out, the more this&nbsp;number goes up.</p><p><img alt="Spamemail.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/Media_Blog/Spamemail.jpg" title="Spamemail.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>The dreaded “unsubscribe” metric. Taming this number&nbsp;is vital for maintaining a healthy contact list to&nbsp;use&nbsp;for promoting your own products or those&nbsp;of potential advertisers. Unfortunately,&nbsp;often times&nbsp;the more emails you send out, the more this&nbsp;number goes up.</p>
<p>Assuming you’ve spent the time to grow your list the right way (and <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32892/Why-Purchasing-Email-Lists-Is-Always-a-Bad-Idea.aspx">haven’t purchased it</a>), this begs the question: Why are subscribers still dropping off at such a high rate if they’ve opted-in in the first place? Let's look at two of the top culprits<span>—not&nbsp;</span>spending enough time on coordinating your communications and&nbsp;not fully understanding your users.</p>
<h2>Send Fewer Emails: Focus on Database Consolidation</h2>
<p>All too often, publishers send a high-volume of email due to uncoordinated internal efforts. Unfortunately your&nbsp;audience doesn't&nbsp;stop to consider that you may have different teams internally who each have different goals and different reasons for communicating to them.&nbsp;It doesn’t matter if one email is for subscription renewal, one is for an event invitation and <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/personalized-publishing-newsletters">one is a&nbsp;newsletter</a>. These emails all come from the same sender in the eyes of the recipient, and when a reader has&nbsp;five emails from COMPANY X sitting in your inbox, that “unsubscribe” button becomes a lot more tempting.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The first step to send less email and tackle high unsubscribe rates is to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/unify-your-publishing-database-to-turbocharge-your-roi">unify your databases</a>. By pulling together disparate contact information to understand what&nbsp;your readers are&nbsp;most interested in and which products they engage with, your contact&nbsp;with them can become much less frequent,&nbsp;yet much&nbsp;much more relevant and valuable. You’re able to directly market to them the digital products that align with their previous purchases or actions taken, and then earn their trust along later stages of the buying journey.</p>
<p>For example, if you see that a reader has viewed several pages of the craft beer section of your website during multiple site visits, and has also downloaded a free copy of the local beer trail map that you offer, you could serve them an email offering your weekly beer lovers newsletter along with a discount code for your monthly local craft beer tasting events.&nbsp;</p>
<p>However, sending fewer emails doesn’t work if you don’t coordinate your internal teams. Even with&nbsp;one single database, you still have to manage team member access and designate which department&nbsp;is sending what, and to whom.</p>
<h3>Get Your Team on the Same Page When it Comes to Sharing a Database</h3>
<ul>
<li>Create an email calendar for your teams. Specify details like send date/time, target list, sender name, and marketing campaign.</li>
<li>Think about ways you can&nbsp;combine email efforts. Could you have a subscription renewal request with a highlight of the week's top content instead of in two separate communications?</li>
<li>Test email frequency to see how much or little communication is the most successful.&nbsp;Are people unsubscribing or clicking through more after a certain number of emails?</li>
</ul>
<h2>Send More Relevant Emails: Focus on Audience Behavior</h2>
<p>When you can better understand the behavior of individual users versus overall audience&nbsp;behavior, you can create more relevant emails for specific lists of readers.&nbsp;Odds are good you already do this in your personal life. Imagine telling the same story to your best friend, mother, and grandmother. Might sound a little different, right? Sending emails to your readers is no different. By knowing what&nbsp;type of language&nbsp;and content they respond to, you can develop a more segmented and informed email strategy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One simple way to learn a bit more about your readers is with <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers-should-own-user-data">information captured</a> when someone&nbsp;signs up for a subscription or that provided on content-gating forms. Instead of just a name and email address, you can request a few additional details&nbsp;that may be helpful down the line, depending on your publication’s focus and what type of information your advertisers may find relevant. For instance, you could ask for a person’s business title, and then serve all C-level readers a leadership series. Or you could request business size and match those with fewer than 50 employees with a particular small business solution from your advertisers.</p>
<p>With the right software in place, you can continue to track these contacts behavior on your site after their initial conversion. For example, if someone clicks on your <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-best-big-social-networks-for-publishers">social media-focused content</a> and downloads offers related to social media management, you could send them a newsletter with several pieces of additional content on social media.</p>
<p>These minor additional details may not seem like much, but with them&nbsp;you’re able to&nbsp;segment your massive&nbsp;contact list into smaller sub-lists, making each touch point feel like a one-to-one versus one-to-many exchange.</p>
<p>Coordinated&nbsp;and relevant&nbsp;content are the keys to keeping readers engaged with your email campaigns.&nbsp;You've worked hard to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/growing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way">grow your email list</a>. Don't let harmful practices diminish on it's return.</p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fpublishers.-stop-sending-terrible-emails&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">MediaThu, 23 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTtrhodes@hubspot.com (Tyler Rhodes)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/publishers.-stop-sending-terrible-emails2015-07-23T11:00:00ZDisrupting the 100-Year-Old Shaving Industry: Inside One Startup's Strategy [Podcast]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/harrys-growth-show-podcast
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<p>Great entrepreneurs tend to gravitate toward the hard challenges.</p>
<p>That's exactly&nbsp;Jeff Raider did&nbsp;when he started <a href="https://www.harrys.com">Harry's</a>, a company that&nbsp;sells razors, blades, and shaving gel right from their website.</p>
<p>Not only is shaving an industry that's over 100 years old and rarely sees big innovation,&nbsp;but Jeff was also up against some big incumbents with deep pockets and intellectual property rights that could easily stifle innovation.</p><p><img alt="raider.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/raider.jpg" title="raider.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>Great entrepreneurs tend to gravitate toward the hard challenges.</p>
<p>That's exactly&nbsp;Jeff Raider did&nbsp;when he started <a href="https://www.harrys.com">Harry's</a>, a company that&nbsp;sells razors, blades, and shaving gel right from their website.</p>
<p>Not only is shaving an industry that's over 100 years old and rarely sees big innovation,&nbsp;but Jeff was also up against some big incumbents with deep pockets and intellectual property rights that could easily stifle innovation.</p>
<p>Drawing from his experience co-founding Warby Parker, Jeff knew there was another way to win: <strong>Take something that people&nbsp;typically hate and turn it into an enjoyable experience.</strong> Harry's offers a great shave at a fair price, and they sell everything direct to the consumer online. That means no middleman to jack up the prices, and it also means you don't have to trek&nbsp;to the store when you're out of razors -- Harry's will just send them to you.</p>
<p>He joins Mike Volpe, HubSpot's CMO, on this episode of <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/podcast">The Growth Show</a> to tell the story behind Harry's growth (including some tactical tips&nbsp;you can try, too). Because of this&nbsp;growth strategy,&nbsp;they built a list of&nbsp;100,000 signups before even launching. Jeff and Mike also cover:</p>
<ul>
<li>How they design and manufacture their razorblades</li>
<li>Jeff's learnings from co-founding Warby Parker and how they influence Harry's</li>
<li>How creating a direct relationships with their customers has created a competitive&nbsp;advantage</li>
<li>The importance of customer feedback and the right ways to get it</li>
<li>A strategy for engaging influencers and press to build excitement and interest before launch</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><strong>Click the play button below to listen to this&nbsp;episode, or <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-growth-show/id963131164?mt=2">subscribe on iTunes </a>to download so you can listen from your mobile device:</strong></strong></p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fharrys-growth-show-podcast&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">PodcastManagementLeadershipDailyThu, 23 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTdgerhardt@hubspot.com (Dave Gerhardt)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/harrys-growth-show-podcast2015-07-23T10:00:00ZQuality vs. Quantity: A 6-Month Analysis of the Age-Old Blogging Debatehttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-strategy-quality-quantity
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-strategy-quality-quantity" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/blog-editorial-strategy.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>The marketing industry has always been obsessed with the quality vs. quantity debate.</p>
<p><strong>Should you create more content of a lower quality or less content of a higher quality?</strong></p>
<p>In an ideal world, the answer would always be&nbsp;less content of a higher quality. You’d spend lots of time researching and writing&nbsp;every&nbsp;post, then&nbsp;when you published it, the whole internet would notice. Thanks to this unrivaled&nbsp;quality, every post would generate massive amounts of traffic and leads.</p><p><img alt="blog-editorial-strategy.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/blog-editorial-strategy.png" title="blog-editorial-strategy.png" width="761"></p>
<p>The marketing industry has always been obsessed with the quality vs. quantity debate.</p>
<p><strong>Should you create more content of a lower quality or less content of a higher quality?</strong></p>
<p>In an ideal world, the answer would always be&nbsp;less content of a higher quality. You’d spend lots of time researching and writing&nbsp;every&nbsp;post, then&nbsp;when you published it, the whole internet would notice. Thanks to this unrivaled&nbsp;quality, every post would generate massive amounts of traffic and leads.</p>
<p>But that’s not how blogging works in real life. To grow a blog, you need to consistently publish content that your readers enjoy reading. Yet exactly&nbsp;how often to publish&nbsp;and what those posts should&nbsp;look like can vary tremendously by blog.</p>
<p>Last year, we&nbsp;ran several&nbsp;tests on HubSpot's Marketing Blog and determined that our sweet spot hovered around four posts a day (the articles themselves varied in terms of comprehensiveness).</p>
<p><img alt="quality_vs_quantity-1.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/quality_vs_quantity-1.png" title="quality_vs_quantity-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p>But lots had changed on the Marketing Blog since that test was run. We hired two new people to the team and started accepting more submissions from <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/partners">our partners</a>.&nbsp;We experimented with new editorial formats. We completely redesigned the entire blog.&nbsp;Our dev team rolled out new&nbsp;tools like <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/attribution-reports-definition">the&nbsp;Attribution Report</a>&nbsp;that helped us&nbsp;better measure what our team is doing. We&nbsp;implemented&nbsp;a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/historical-blog-seo-conversion-optimization">new strategy to update, optimize, and republish&nbsp;old posts to increase organic traffic and lead gen.</a></p>
<p>And then, late one night in January, my colleagues&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/searchbrat">Kieran</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/jchernov">Joe</a> had <a href="https://twitter.com/randfish/status/553691949937340416">a Twitter conversation with Rand Fishkin</a> about the HubSpot Blog's editorial strategy. It got me&nbsp;thinking:&nbsp;With all these new tools and resources at our disposal, was the Marketing Blog's current high volume strategy <em>still</em> best for our readers, thus best for us? Keeping our headcount and resources constant, what kind of posts should we be publishing -- and at what frequency -- to grow faster?</p>
<p>Funny enough, we weren't the only ones interested in finding out this answer. After Joe and Kieran chatted with Rand&nbsp;on Twitter, we reached out to&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/trevoratmoz">Trevor Klein at Moz</a> to see if he&nbsp;wanted to run a similar experiment with their audience. He&nbsp;did -- and you can&nbsp;<a href="https://moz.com/blog/publishing-volume-experiment">head over to their blog to read their findings</a>.</p>
<p>Six months after starting this experiment on the Marketing Blog, we've uncovered some compelling&nbsp;insights that will transform how our section&nbsp;operates. Here's what we did to figure out our optimal editorial strategy -- and what we're going to do about it.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Some Background: Our Former&nbsp;Publishing Strategy</h2>
<p>Before we dive into the experiment details, let's begin with a little&nbsp;background on our previous editorial strategy.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Our Metrics</h3>
<p>The Marketing Blog is measured on views, net new leads, and subscribers -- so those are the numbers we wanted to test. Here’s how each of those are defined:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Views</strong>: A view is counted every time a blog post with the HubSpot software tracking token is loaded.</li>
<li><strong>Net New Leads</strong>: When someone who’s never filled out a lead gen&nbsp;form on a landing page (<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/17-seo-myths-leave-behind-in-2015">example</a>) actually fills out that form, they become a lead.</li>
<li><strong>Subscribers:</strong> These are people who opt in to receive instant, daily, or weekly notifications from the Marketing Blog.</li>
</ul>
<p>To reach goals for these metrics, the Marketing Blog has typically published 3-5 blog posts each week day and 1 blog post each weekend day, totaling about 20-25&nbsp;posts in a given week.</p>
<p>But publishing new posts isn't&nbsp;the only driver of our blog’s success: <strong>92% of our leads and 75% of our traffic in a given month are from posts&nbsp;published <em>prior to&nbsp;</em>that month.</strong>&nbsp;So for the purposes of this experiment, we are only looking at the effects of new posts.</p>
<h3><a></a>The Types of Posts We Publish</h3>
<p>Below are the different types of blog posts we publish:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Tactical</strong>: These post make up the bulk of our blog. They teach people how to do something or inform them about a marketing-specific subject. The coverage usually is at a higher level and may not feature data or original quotes.&nbsp;(Example:&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-multi-channel-marketing-faqs-ht">What Is Multi-Channel Marketing? [FAQs]</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Deep Tactical</strong>: These posts are like&nbsp;Tactical&nbsp;posts, but more in-depth. Often, their word count often exceeds 1,500 words -- but that’s not its only defining characteristic. These in-depth posts cover topics&nbsp;using relevant, recent examples, original quotes, and current data (which can be&nbsp;original). (Example: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/typography-terms-introduction">Typography 101: Everything a Beginner Should Know</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Infographic/SlideShare</strong>: These posts let the curated infographic or SlideShare stand on its own. Usually, they&nbsp;feature a few paragraphs of introduction, the embedded media itself, and not much else. (Note: This is abbreviated as IG/SS throughout the rest of this post.) (Example:&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-post-ingredients-infographic">The Essential Elements of an Excellent Blog Post [Infographic]</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Editorial</strong>: These posts cover a trend or issue that pertains to marketers, using original interviews, hard data, and examples. The difference between this and a tactical post is there will often be no concrete takeaway to implement&nbsp;and the issues discussed in these posts may not be directly about marketing. (Example: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/diamond-de-beers-marketing-campaign">The Engagement Ring Story: How De Beers Created a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry From the Ground Up</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Promo</strong>: These posts are very short and directly promotional of a gated offer (like an ebook, template, webinar, or download) or tool (like the <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator">Blog Topic Generator</a>). (Example: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-get-100000-readers-blog">How to Get 100,000 People to Read Your Blog [Free Ebook]</a>)</li>
<li><strong><strong>Syndications: </strong></strong>These posts always have an italicized line of text that says "This post originally appeared on ..." (usually from an internal blog&nbsp;like&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency">Agency</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales">Sales</a>, but could also be an external site). (Example: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/b2b-businesses-b2c-sales">B2B Businesses Are Adopting a B2C Sales Approach</a>)</li>
<li><strong>TOFU</strong>: These posts are created with broad, top-of-the-funnel&nbsp;traffic in mind (hence, the name). They’re usually related to larger internet trends or business-related topics, and are lighter in nature. There are also&nbsp;very few&nbsp;tactical lessons that can be taken away from them. We tend to publish these posts in an ad hoc basis, often with traffic goals in mind.&nbsp;(Example: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/coolest-google-doodles">15 of Google's Coolest Doodles</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Misc. Team Initiatives</strong>: We’re blogging to support a business, so these posts support the larger HubSpot goals, which may not relate to visits, lead gen, or subscriber gen. These also include posts that don’t fit into any of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Here’s how often we typically publish the previous post formats on the blog. (Note: TOFU is not included as it is not a typical format we rely on.)</p>
<p><img alt="typical_editorial_distribution-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/typical_editorial_distribution-1.png" title="typical_editorial_distribution-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Now, on to the good stuff: how we ran our experiment, and what it&nbsp;uncovered.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Part 1: What’s Our Optimal Editorial Strategy?</h2>
<p>In this part of the experiment, we teamed up Moz to find out what each of our optimal editorial strategies was.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Should we be writing more posts that require more intensive research and writing at a lower frequency, or should we be publishing less intensive posts at a higher volume? And what kind of short-term effects would these strategies have on traffic, leads, and subscribers?</p>
<p>We ran this test for six weeks, and shortly&nbsp;after, <a href="https://moz.com/blog/publishing-volume-experiment">Moz ran a similar&nbsp;test on their blog</a>.<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Here’s what we did.</p>
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<p>Each of the following editorial strategies was&nbsp;run in two-week phases.</p>
<p><strong>Benchmark</strong>: (23 posts per work week) This was our typical frequency and editorial distribution, just to give us a reference point for the following two phases.</p>
<p><img alt="benchmark_weekly_editorial_distribution.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/benchmark_weekly_editorial_distribution.png" title="benchmark_weekly_editorial_distribution.png" width="669"></p>
<p><strong>Low Volume, High Comprehensiveness (LVHC)</strong>: (11.5 posts each workweek) This is 50% fewer posts than the Benchmark phase with a higher skew toward more comprehensive posts (ex: Deep Tactical and Editorial) and away from lighter posts (ex: Tactical and Infographic/SlideShare).</p>
<p><img alt="LVHC_editorial_strategy.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/LVHC_editorial_strategy.png" title="LVHC_editorial_strategy.png" width="669"></p>
<p><strong>High Volume, Low Comprehensiveness (HVLC):</strong> (34.5 post in a given workweek) This is 50% more than our Benchmark phase with a higher skew toward the less comprehensive posts (ex: Infographic/SlideShare, Promo, and Tactical).</p>
<p><img alt="HVLC_editorial_strategy-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/HVLC_editorial_strategy-1.png" title="HVLC_editorial_strategy-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p>And when analyzing the success of phase, we looked at:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong>Only traffic and leads from </strong><strong><em>new</em></strong><strong> posts. </strong></strong>By eliminating all old posts that generate significant long-term traffic, we were better able to identify the effect post format and frequency had on traffic and leads.</li>
<li><strong>Only weekday results.</strong> As a B2B business, our traffic is most consistent during the week, so it’s the best sample to use for this experiment. So traffic and lead generation results were only measured from the time they were published until the last workday of the week (Friday).</li>
<li><strong>No traffic or leads from paid sources. </strong>This way, we’re comparing consistent results across all three phases of the experiment.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Our Results</h3>
<h4><strong>1) The Benchmark and HVLC phases received&nbsp;almost the same amount of traffic.</strong></h4>
<p>During the&nbsp;LVHC phase, we received nearly 32% less traffic than the Benchmark phase, but during the HVLC phase, traffic only increased 5% from our Benchmark phase.</p>
<p><img alt="traffic_to_new_posts_during_part_1-1" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/traffic_to_new_posts_during_part_1-1.png" title="traffic_to_new_posts_during_part_1.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaway</strong></span></p>
<p>Because the traffic from each source was pretty similar in the HVLC and BM phases, there was only one conclusion we could draw: <strong>There’s only so much content our readers&nbsp;can consume. </strong>Expecting them to read 35 posts in one workweek is just too much.</p>
<p>That being said, they <em>are willing</em>&nbsp;to consume a higher&nbsp;amount of content than the initial tweet from Rand suggested. When the number of posts dips below our Benchmark frequency -- even when the posts are more comprehensive -- traffic also dips.</p>
<p>Digging deeper into where our traffic was coming from, the reason why this phase performs so poorly becomes clearer.</p>
<p>The distribution of traffic sources remained fairly constant across all channels in all phases of the experiment -- except for the two most reliant on quantity: email and social. Both email and social had a dip in traffic during the LVHC phase, but remained steady during the Benchmark and HVLC phases.</p>
<p>The reason these were dipping so much? The fewer posts we publish, the fewer opportunities there are for posts to get clicked on in the inbox and share on social media.</p>
<p><img alt="part_1_traffic_sources-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/part_1_traffic_sources-1.png" title="part_1_traffic_sources-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Moral of the story here: <strong>Comprehensiveness can’t make up for frequency -- at least when it comes to short-term traffic.</strong></p>
<h4><strong>2) The HVLC phase received the largest number of leads -- almost double what we received during the Benchmark phase.</strong></h4>
<p>During the LVHC phase, leads only dipped slightly -- we received a just 4% fewer leads than the Benchmark phase. But during the HVLC phase, we generated almost double the Benchmark phase leads.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="leads_to_new_posts_during_part_1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/leads_to_new_posts_during_part_1.png" title="leads_to_new_posts_during_part_1.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaway</strong></span></p>
<p>The HVLC phase seems like a clear winner when it comes to new post lead gen. Though it generates the same average number of leads per post, the overall volume is much higher.</p>
<h4>3)&nbsp;Our Instant email list received the highest number of unsubscribes during the HVLC phase.</h4>
<p>To see how post volume affected our subscribers, we looked at how many people we lost per phase (subscriber churn) according to their subscription type.</p>
<p>As you can see in the chart below<strong>, the Instant list is the only one that seemed to be influenced by the experiment</strong>, lowering subscriber churn the LVHC phase and increasing churn the HVLC phase. This makes sense because that’s the only email type that’s really affected by changing volume -- the same number of Daily and Weekly emails were sent all three phases.</p>
<p><img alt="subscriber_churn.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/subscriber_churn.png" title="subscriber_churn.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Also, we shouldn’t worry about the daily list subscriber churn growth going up and to the right. We received a huge influx of subscribers during the HVLC phase most likely due to <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244041">being featured in an&nbsp;Entrepreneur article</a> and implementing an&nbsp;exit popup module, and this more than canceled out for the churn.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaway</strong></span></p>
<p>Instant seems to be the only list affected by the experiment, and it’s clear that publishing more posts is associated with more unsubscribes.</p>
<h3>Part 1 Conclusion</h3>
<p>In short: LVHC isn’t a viable strategy for us. The traffic and leads losses are too high, and the dip in subscriber churn isn’t enough to make up for those losses.</p>
<p>And when comparing HVLC and Benchmark phases, they tend to generate comparable results. HVLC gets slightly more traffic, but not by much. It also generates more leads, but considering new blog posts only account for 8% of our month’s lead generation capabilities, the difference in leads between these two phases is negligible. Plus, the Benchmark Phase lost fewer subscribers overall.</p>
<p>The only significant difference between the two phases? The amount of effort our team used to get a week’s posts out the door.</p>
<p>With us seeing diminishing returns with a HVLC strategy, it makes sense for us to continue at the Benchmark level, while continuing to tweak our editorial distribution to focus on “high return” posts (those that’d return more traffic and leads than the average post).</p>
<p>But which types of posts are “high return”?&nbsp;While Moz finished running the previous&nbsp;test, we decided to dive into our analytics to find that&nbsp;question's answer.</p>
<h2>Part 2: What Types of Posts Get the Highest Return?</h2>
<p>When we think about hitting our blog’s goals, we typically measure their immediate return. How did they help us hit our blog’s monthly goals?</p>
<p>But blogging is a long-term play. New posts that you publish have an opportunity to generate results long after they’re published.</p>
<p>So when we set out to find those “high return” posts, we needed to think both short- and long-term. Which posts would do well in their first month, and which posts would do well over time?</p>
<h3>Methodology</h3>
<p>In this part of the experiment, we looked at the long-term traffic- and lead-generating capabilities of different post types.</p>
<p>I exported a list of new blog posts published between January 1, 2014 and April 16, 2015 on the Marketing&nbsp;Blog&nbsp;-- a total of 1,956 posts. Then, we&nbsp;manually categorized blog posts into <a href="#post_types">the predefined categories</a>. Here’s how many posts we had in each category<sup><span style="font-size: 11px;">†</span></sup>:</p>
<ul>
<li>Deep Tactical: 145</li>
<li>Tactical: 1,215</li>
<li>Editorial: 105</li>
<li>Infographic/SlideShare: 178</li>
<li>Syndication: 247</li>
<li>Promo: 35*</li>
<li>TOFU: 31*</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 11px;">*These posts have smaller sample sizes, so their results below may appear more inflated&nbsp;than they normally would.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><sup>†</sup>Misc has been removed because its posts didn't contain enough unifying characteristics.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Then, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/zachary-wolfson/b/647/350">my teammate&nbsp;Zack Wolfson</a> built a script that used our API to pull each post’s views (and their sources) over its first 6 months (this includes paid data, unlike the first part of the experiment).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since the API can’t pull the same information for leads, I categorized each of the posts from the first part of the experiment and calculated their conversion rates for the first week they were live. Assuming conversion rates would fluctuate in proportion to traffic, I used those conversion rates to estimate the lead generation capability of each post type. (Note: Because these are estimates, we did not look at leads in&nbsp;Sections 3 and 4 below.)</p>
<p>Here’s what we found.</p>
<h3>Our Results</h3>
<h4>1)&nbsp;TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare posts generate the most traffic, and Promo and Tactical posts&nbsp;generate the most leads.</h4>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Traffic</strong></span></p>
<p>We looked at the average number of views each post type garners over its first six months.</p>
<p>If you take a quick look at the graphs below, you’ll see that all post types generate the most traffic in Month 1, but fall off in Months 2 - 6. The only differences between the posts are 1) how high their initial traffic spike is, and 2) how quickly traffic to that&nbsp;post type falls off in Months 2 - 6.</p>
<p><img alt="average_monthly_traffic_for_each_post_type-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_monthly_traffic_for_each_post_type-1.png" title="average_monthly_traffic_for_each_post_type-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p>When you look at Month 1, you’ll notice:</p>
<ul>
<li>TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare post types generate the highest number of average views.</li>
<li>The rest of the posts (Tactical, Editorial, Syndication, and Promo) generate similar numbers of average views in Month 1.</li>
</ul>
<p>In Months 2 - 6, there’s a pretty big drop-off in average views for all post types, but there are three&nbsp;larger trends:</p>
<ul>
<li>TOFU continues to perform the best, followed by Deep Tactical.</li>
<li>The rest of the post types (Infographic/SlideShare, Tactical, Editorial, Syndication, and Promo) receive similar numbers of average views.</li>
<li>Syndications perform the worst.</li>
</ul>
<p>When we add up all the traffic each post type receives on average over the 6 month period, we found that&nbsp;TOFU posts perform&nbsp;by far the best, followed by Deep Tactical and Infographic/SlideShare. The worst traffic generators? Syndications.</p>
<p><img alt="average_cumulative_traffic-1" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_cumulative_traffic-1.png" title="average_cumulative_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Estimated Leads</strong></span></p>
<p>Using each post type’s estimated visit-to-lead conversion rates, I calculated the post's effects on lead generation. Here's what we found:</p>
<p><img alt="average_monthly_leads_for_each_post_type-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_monthly_leads_for_each_post_type-1.png" title="average_monthly_leads_for_each_post_type-1.png" width="669"></p>
<ul>
<li>As you can see in the chart above, Promo posts are a clear winner. They generate the largest number of leads on average in every single month after they’re published.</li>
<li>After Promo posts, Tactical posts are the next highest lead generators.</li>
<li>Deep Tactical and Infographic/SlideShare posts receive roughly the same amount of leads over time.</li>
<li>Syndication posts hardly generate any leads (but since they usually don’t have lead gen CTAs on them, this is self-fulfilling prophecy).</li>
</ul>
<p>When we add up all the leads generated on average for each post type, the takeaway becomes even clearer: Promo posts generate the most leads on average of any post type, and most others don’t contribute many leads in general.</p>
<p><img alt="average_cumulative_leads.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_cumulative_leads.png" title="average_cumulative_leads.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaways</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>For both traffic and leads, if the post type performs well in Month 1, it performs well over time.</strong></p>
<p>There was no “bait and switch” -- a post’s traffic and lead gen success in Month 1 is predicative of its long-term success. TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare posts generate the most traffic, and Promo and Tactical generate the most leads.</p>
<h4><strong>2) The “High Returns” Posts: None of the post types generate above-average traffic&nbsp;<em>and</em> leads.</strong></h4>
<p>Knowing the average number of traffic and leads each of these post types generates in six months is great -- but it’s lacking context. Instead of just calculating what each post average is, we need to compare it to the average views and leads our typical post gets.</p>
<p>Compared to the typical post, three posts are “high returns” (i.e. generate above-average views over 6 months):</p>
<ul>
<li>TOFU: +178%</li>
<li>Deep Tactical: +75%</li>
<li>Infographic/SlideShare: +30%</li>
</ul>
<p>And four generate average or low returns for views over six months:</p>
<ul>
<li>Promo: -0.29%</li>
<li>Tactical: -9%</li>
<li>Editorial: -18%</li>
<li>Syndication: -30%</li>
</ul>
<p>I also compared the average number of leads each post type generates over 6 months. I found that only Promo and Tactical generated above average leads (+533% and +24%, respectively). The rest of the categories generated below-average leads.</p>
<p><img alt="comparing_traffic_and_leads_to_typical_post-1.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/comparing_traffic_and_leads_to_typical_post-1.png" title="comparing_traffic_and_leads_to_typical_post-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaways</strong></span></p>
<p>In the long-term, we get way more bang for our traffic buck by focusing on TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare posts than the others.&nbsp;But these post types aren’t the ones that are "high returns" for&nbsp;leads -- <em>those</em> are Promo and Tactical posts.</p>
<p>In short: <strong>There are no posts that are a grand slam for both traffic </strong><strong><em>and</em></strong><strong> leads.</strong></p>
<h4>3)&nbsp;Our post types all have very similar sources of traffic.</h4>
<p>So if I wanted to improve an editorial post’s performance, for example, which traffic source should I focus on? To find the answer to that question, I needed to dive into the average traffic source breakdown of each post type.</p>
<p>When I did that, I found their traffic sources over time look almost identical. Email, direct, and social accounts for the most of the initial traffic, and then peters off. Organic stays pretty steady over time. Here roughly what most posts’ traffic sources look like:</p>
<p><img alt="average_monthly_traffic_for_typical_post.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_monthly_traffic_for_typical_post.png" title="average_monthly_traffic_for_typical_post.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaways</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>All post types receive pretty similar traffic sources over time</strong>. The reason their overall average traffic differs greatly is because the volume of what they receive on each channel can be very different. So if I want to make improvements to different post types, I need to dive into each channel and compare how each post type performs.</p>
<h4>4)&nbsp;Certain post types perform better than others on certain platforms.</h4>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Email</strong></span></p>
<p>As you can see in the graph below, this channel has a huge spike in Month 1, then drops off almost completely. Here’s how the post formats rank on this channel:</p>
<ol>
<li>TOFU</li>
<li>Deep Tactical</li>
<li>Infographic</li>
<li>The Rest (Editorial, Promo, Syndication, Tactical)</li>
</ol>
<p><img alt="average_email_traffic.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_email_traffic.png" title="average_email_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Even though this channel is circuitous by nature (our Daily and Weekly emails are a deliberate curation of our top posts of the day or week), all the top post types are the ones that are doing best on this channel. While it’s possible this means we’re influencing the above results, I’d suspect we’re just influencing the steepness of the graph -- these post types tend to do well anyway.</p>
<p>It’s also interesting (but not surprising) to note that almost all email traffic goes away after Month 1 -- for us, email is an ephemeral source of traffic.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Organic</strong></span></p>
<p>Unlike all of the other traffic sources, success with organic traffic in Month 1 doesn’t predict success in Months 2 - 6.</p>
<p>As you can see below, the TOFU category of posts doesn’t follow this pattern. <strong>It’s much more successful in Months 2 - 6 than Month 1, and receives the most organic traffic of all the post types. </strong>(Note: This category has the smallest number of posts in it, so its line below is probably higher than it is in reality.)</p>
<p>But besides TOFU, the rest of the post types receives similar levels of organic traffic over time. Deep Tactical and Tactical are the next most popular -- they’re the most immune to traffic decay over time.</p>
<p><img alt="average_organic_traffic.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_organic_traffic.png" title="average_organic_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Social</strong></span></p>
<p>Like Email, traffic from Social tends to spike in Month 1, then peters off during Months 2 - 6. In Month 1, the posts reaping the most average traffic from this channel are:</p>
<ol>
<li>TOFU</li>
<li>Promo</li>
<li>Infographic</li>
<li>Deep Tactical</li>
</ol>
<p>But after Month 1, most of the social traffic drops off completely (and Deep Tactical is most immune to the traffic decay effects).</p>
<p><img alt="average_social_traffic.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_social_traffic.png" title="average_social_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Direct</strong></span></p>
<p>Direct also drives most traffic to each of the post types in Month 1. Deep Tactical and TOFU posts receive the most direct traffic in all of the six months.</p>
<p><img alt="average_direct_traffic.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_direct_traffic.png" title="average_direct_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Referral</strong></span></p>
<p>Of all the channels, Referral drives relatively&nbsp;little overall traffic. Like the other sources, it drives the bulk of traffic during Month 1, primarily for Infographic and Deep Tactical. What’s most interesting in this channel is that it’s the only other time Infographic gets more traffic than Deep Tactical in Month 1 (the other source is Social).</p>
<p><img alt="average_referral_traffic.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/average_referral_traffic.png" title="average_referral_traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Section Takeaways</strong></span></p>
<p>Most of the traffic sources above are important to driving traffic in month. The only one that drives long-term, sustainable traffic is organic. This isn’t super surprising -- it just confirms what we’ve been preaching all these years.</p>
<p>When we dive into each of the traffic sources, TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare dominate -- but the channels in which they shine are slightly different:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>TOFU</strong>: Almost all, especially Organic. This is the only post type that receives more traffic over time than it does in Month 1, most likely due to the fact that this type of post is more relevant to a wider audience of people than our typical readers. For example, one of our top TOFU posts is around <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hilarious-out-of-office-email-auto-replies">funny out of office replies</a> -- something that marketers relate to, but isn’t applicable to <em>just </em>marketers.</li>
<li><strong>Deep Tactical</strong>: Mainly Email, Organic, Direct, and Referral. The main difference between Deep Tactical and TOFU sources is Referral -- Deep Tactical does way better on that channel. I suspect this is because these posts are more helpful, so people are more likely to recommend them as a resource/source for their articles.</li>
<li><strong>Infographic/SlideShare</strong>: Mainly Social and Referral. Since these posts are heavily based on popular external content, it’s not surprising that they take off on two visible, sharing-oriented&nbsp;channels.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Part 2 Conclusion</h3>
<p>Though most of our posts tend to follow similar traffic patterns over time, there are some posts that perform better than others. “High return” post types for traffic are TOFU, Deep Tactical, and Infographic/SlideShare posts, while the “high return” post types for leads are Promo and Tactical.</p>
<p>Since there’s no one silver bullet for traffic and leads, we’ll need to have a mixture of both on our editorial calendar to reach (and exceed) our goals. &nbsp;</p>
<h2>What We’re Going to Do About This</h2>
<h3>Takeaways &amp; Recommendations</h3>
<p>For us to more efficiently grow the blog, here’s what I recommend we do.</p>
<h4>1) Keep our Benchmark frequency constant.</h4>
<p>This phase gives us the highest number of views for the effort we’re putting into each post. The HVLC phase only generated a few thousand extra views -- we can make up that discrepancy in other, non-frequency-related ways.</p>
<p>This phase also still returned a decent number of new leads. Though the HVLC phase returned the most leads of the bunch, in the overall scope of our blog’s lead generation capabilities, choosing HVLC over Benchmark will only increase our total lead output by 1%. Since it takes way more effort to run a HVLC editorial strategy than the Benchmark strategy, I’d rather get smart about making up for that 1% of leads with a different editorial distribution.</p>
<h4>2) Increase the number of Deep Tactical posts we publish.</h4>
<p>They drive more traffic on average than most other post types, and they continue to bring in relevant traffic over time. (Note: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/historical-blog-seo-conversion-optimization">Posts that we’re updating and republishing</a> will count toward this weekly number.)</p>
<h4>3)&nbsp;Slightly reduce the number of Tactical posts we publish, but lean&nbsp;more heavily on keyword research to pick their&nbsp;topics.</h4>
<p>This format doesn't do especially well -- except on organic search. (And it could be doing even better.) Doing more up-front research when picking topics will help us increase our organic traffic over time (and provide fodder for future post updates).&nbsp;</p>
<h4>4) In time that we&nbsp;would have spent&nbsp;writing or editing&nbsp;Tactical posts, produce more TOFU and Infographic/SlideShare posts.</h4>
<p>Both of these post types generate lots of short- and long-term traffic for very little effort.</p>
<p>But I know what you're thinking -- since TOFU posts are the best-performing traffic posts, why wouldn't we overload on them even more? It all comes back to the fact that we&nbsp;<em>are</em> a business -- and this post type doesn't&nbsp;generate much bottom-line results.&nbsp;While TOFU posts&nbsp;help increase our audience size and diversity, Deep Tactical posts do&nbsp;a better job of addressing both the traffic and lead gen goals.</p>
<h4>5) Continue to use Syndications&nbsp;to boost weekend traffic.</h4>
<p>They take very little effort to put together, but give us a decent short-term boost. Since we’re currently using them to drive short-term traffic on the weekend, and the increased Deep Tactical, TOFU, and&nbsp;Infographic slots will increase traffic in the long-term, I’m not worried about them taking away from our growth.</p>
<h4>6) Plan for Editorial posts roughly 1X a week -- but do more upfront&nbsp;research to determine topics.</h4>
<p>These post types help us reach a more sophisticated audience, so we shouldn’t eliminate them altogether. Since they’re currently more of an average short-term play, we should do more upfront research on search and social trends to guide topic selection -- and re-measure this format’s effectiveness in another 6 months.</p>
<h4>7) Build in two slots a week for Promo posts.</h4>
<p>If we reduce Tactical in our editorial repertoire, we’ll be reducing the number of leads on average new posts are generating. To make up for that change, we should dedicate two Promo slots a week to new and old offers.</p>
<h3>Our New Editorial Distribution<strong><strong><br></strong></strong></h3>
<p>This is what our old weekly editorial distribution looked like:</p>
<p><img alt="old_editorial_distribution.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/old_editorial_distribution.png" title="old_editorial_distribution.png" width="669"></p>
<p>And here's what we're going to switch&nbsp;to:<strong><strong><br></strong></strong></p>
<p><img alt="new_editorial_distribution.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/new_editorial_distribution.png" title="new_editorial_distribution.png" width="669"></p>
<p>If we follow this new model and each post type generates the average number of views it’s supposed to get, <strong>we could be generating 18.5% more traffic each month -- </strong>and because of the compounding effects of blogging, the new strategy will&nbsp;generate an increasing number of views&nbsp;and leads&nbsp;over time.</p>
<p>Of course, there is always a trade-off. With this new editorial strategy, we will lose 3.4% of leads from new posts each month<em>.</em> But because new posts don’t contribute to much of our monthly lead&nbsp;gen, this change will not make a difference in our overall lead gen -- the old posts we’re optimizing, updating, and republishing will continue to generate the lion’s share of our leads.</p>
<h2>Over to You:&nbsp;Tips for Running This Test on Your Own Blog</h2>
<p>Just because we've been around for a while, doesn't mean the Marketing Blog is done growing.&nbsp;By running these tests,&nbsp;we've been able to figure out how to grow faster and have a bigger impact on the business as a whole.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But I'm not going to lie: This experiment took lots of time, manual labor, and developer help -- which isn't a reality for many companies. If you decide you'd like to run a similar test, here are some tips I'd recommend.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Start assigning&nbsp;your post types now.</strong> It's much easier to categorize your post types ahead of time. If your marketing software lets you, you can add tags to your post types to categorize them. Otherwise, I'd suggest using a Google Doc or Excel spreadsheet to keep track of them all.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>If you haven't done the previous bullet and you have a lot of posts to categorize, get your team on board to help you do it.</strong> Buy them pizza. Or beer. Or both. They'll be crucial to helping you get this done at a decent pace.</li>
<li><strong>If you can, get&nbsp;some dev help -- any dev help -- to help you pull traffic&nbsp;and lead data.</strong> Otherwise, you will probably have to do it by hand. Not only is it tedious, but it also opens you up to more possibilities for errors. It's worth&nbsp;spending the resources or money on a developer to help you get the information you need.</li>
<li><strong>Brush up on Excel ahead of time.&nbsp;</strong>When I first started this project, I stumbled through formula after formula. Save yourself the pain and just learn some Excel basics. (<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-use-excel-tips">Here's my favorite post</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;I bookmarked and used to help me&nbsp;analyze this data.)</li>
<li><strong>Get okay with "good enough."</strong>&nbsp;As much as you want to control all the variables and remove extraneous data before you get analyzing, sometimes, you just need to work with what you've got.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p>With the right experiment in place, you can get beyond the quality vs. quantity debate and answer&nbsp;the questions that matter: What do your readers like reading, and how often do they like reading it?&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Have you ever run an experiment to find your optimal post frequency and type? I'd love to&nbsp;hear from you. Leave a comment below or tweet me <a href="https://twitter.com/gsosk">@gsosk</a>.</em></p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-febafcba-b3e9-40bf-8da2-ebc50f2a4ec0"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=febafcba-b3e9-40bf-8da2-ebc50f2a4ec0&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide to historical blog optimization" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/febafcba-b3e9-40bf-8da2-ebc50f2a4ec0.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fblog-strategy-quality-quantity&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">BloggingAnalyticsfeatured-1DailyWeeklyWed, 22 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTgsoskey@hubspot.com (Ginny Soskey)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blog-strategy-quality-quantity2015-07-22T12:00:00Z14 of the Best College Websites (And Why They're So Awesome)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-college-websites
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-college-websites" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/best-college-websites.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Think about the average&nbsp;college's website for a second.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Chances are, it feels a little out of date. You probably can't even read its content&nbsp;on your phone without lots of pinching and zooming.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Crazy right? It's&nbsp;the virtual front door of the campus.</p><p><img alt="best-college-websites.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/best-college-websites.jpeg" title="best-college-websites.jpeg" width="761"></p>
<p>Think about the average&nbsp;college's website for a second.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Chances are, it feels a little out of date. You probably can't even read its content&nbsp;on your phone without lots of pinching and zooming.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Crazy right? It's&nbsp;the virtual front door of the campus. This website needs to attract and inform&nbsp;current and prospective students, their families, alumni, professors, and donors. It has&nbsp;to be user-friendly, convey value to different personas, and guide visitors to other parts of the site. Oh, and it should also be visually pleasing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The good news is that&nbsp;not all colleges have this problem. There are quite a few schools&nbsp;with beautiful, helpful, and intuitive websites -- you just have to know where to look.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So we decided to showcase the best of the best U.S. college websites below.&nbsp;Check them out and learn what about their web design makes them so brilliant.&nbsp;(And if your alma mater is on the list,&nbsp;be sure to let us know!)</p>
<h2>14 of the Best College Websites</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">1) <a href="https://www.admissions.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">With a website as sleekly designed, interactive, and easy to navigate as UMD's undergraduate admissions site, it's no surprise they've&nbsp;<span>already snagged </span><a href="http://www.umdrightnow.umd.edu/umd-webby-award-year-honor-excellence-internet-capital">one of the final five nomination spots</a><span> for best admissions website this year. The website was designed&nbsp;<span>by the communications firm&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.frause.com/">Frause</a>.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>There are a number of great design elements on their site, but we especially love the playful fonts -- which&nbsp;<a href="http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2013/04/11/university-of-maryland-is-up-for-a-webby-award-this-year-an-honor-for-excellence-on-the-internet/">DCInno pointed out</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;<span>"seemingly similar to the type used for&nbsp;</span><em>Where the Wild Things Are,&nbsp;</em>reminiscent<span>&nbsp;of those childhood years, but with a sophisticated flair." Unique typography&nbsp;is&nbsp;</span></span>an element of great modern web design, as it helps customers immediately identify them versus their competitors. For example,&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">The New Yorker</a></em><span>'s typography is recognized by consumers around the world because of its unique style and appearance.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="university-of-maryland-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/university-of-maryland-website.png" title="university-of-maryland-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">2)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nd.edu/">University of Notre Dame</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Notre Dame's website is beautiful on desktop: big, high definition images; cool, interactive portions; easy navigation. But what makes their website even more special is their use of responsive design. Now that <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-algorithm-change-mobile-friendly">Google's algorithm awards mobile-friendly websites</a>, it's even more important for&nbsp;organizations to optimize their websites for visitors coming from desktop, tablets,&nbsp;<em>and&nbsp;</em>smartphones.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Here's what Notre Dame's home page looks like on desktop:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="notre-dame-home-page.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/notre-dame-home-page.png" title="notre-dame-home-page.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And here it is on mobile:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="notre-dame-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/notre-dame-mobile-website.png" title="notre-dame-mobile-website.png" width="500"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Launched in 2012, the website was <a href="http://www.webdesigndegreecenter.org/best-designed-college-websites/">designed&nbsp;by an in-house team</a>, and responsive design was among their top priorities. “We wanted to make the navigation as intuitive and simple as possible,” <a href="http://www.webdesigndegreecenter.org/best-designed-college-websites/">explained the team’s web designer Philip Zastrow</a>. “In a lot of ways a homepage is a portal, but we want it to be a more experiential, informative portal.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">3)&nbsp;<a href="http://bucknell.edu/">Bucknell University</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Bucknell's website, which was <a href="http://www.edustyle.net/awards/2014/winners.php#1">nominated for Best Website Redesign</a> at the Webby's in 2014, is a wonderful example of <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/4-creative-ways-to-make-your-website-more-personalized">website personalization</a> at work. The first time you visit their website, you're met with the default, impersonal homepage -- which, by the way, is beautifully designed with high-definition visuals, lots of negative space, and simple navigation. But you'll notice that right below the image, users have the option of customizing the page. See it on the bottom there?</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="bucknell-university-website-1.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/bucknell-university-website-1.png" title="bucknell-university-website-1.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">When you click "Start Customizing," you're met with an option to turn off any section of the default homepage you'd like. Not interested in arts and culture updates, but want to keep the sports and recreation stuff? Simply turn Arts and Culture off. The next time you visit the website on the same device, you won't see Arts and Culture -- although you can turn it back on at any time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="bucknell-website-personalization.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/bucknell-website-personalization.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="bucknell-website-personalization.png" width="403"></p>
<h3>4) <a href="http://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a></h3>
<p>UChicago's website&nbsp;design was awarded with <a href="http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2013/05/02/uchicago-wins-two-webby-awards-homepage-website-redesign">two high-profile Webby Awards</a> in 2013: best overall best school/university website and the Webby People's Voice Award. Check out how uncluttered the content is: Instead of putting paragraphs of information and updates everywhere, you'll find large, high-definition images&nbsp;paired with&nbsp;bite-sized chunks of text. It was created in-house by the university's IT and communication departments and launched in September 2012.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="university-of-chicago-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/university-of-chicago-website.png" title="university-of-chicago-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">5)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a></h3>
<p>UMichigan's website <a href="http://www.edustyle.net/awards/2014/winners.php#1">got a Webby's nomination</a> for Best Website Redesign in 2014 -- and for good reason. The newest version of their website is worlds better than it was before. Here's what the redesign looks like:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="university-of-michigan-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/university-of-michigan-website.png" title="university-of-michigan-website.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Compare that with how it looked before:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="university-of-michigan-old-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/university-of-michigan-old-website.png" title="university-of-michigan-old-website.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The most noticeable difference? The huge images in the updated version, along the text boxes of quick, simple statistics reinforcing the school's value, such as&nbsp;"19 Schools +&nbsp;Colleges" and "#1 Public University," which users can click into for more details.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">6)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.risd.edu/">Rhode Island School of Design</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">RISD's entire mission is to educate and inspire the next generation of artists and designers. So why not use the school's homepage to showcase student artwork? They nailed the execution here with big, crisp images users paired with short text that can scroll through. The website was created in-house and launched in 2011, and it was a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.webdesigndegreecenter.org/best-designed-college-websites/">Webby Award honoree</a> in the School/University category in 2012.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rhode-island-school-of-design-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rhode-island-school-of-design-website.png" title="rhode-island-school-of-design-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">7) <a href="http://virtualtour.gwu.edu/">George Washington University</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Visualizing what a&nbsp;college campus looks like, especially when it's located in a busy city center, can be really difficult for anyone new visiting a campus. But GW found a way to make it easy -- and even kind of fun.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Their&nbsp;revolutionary virtual tour website, <a href="http://www.campustours.com/press-2014-webbywin2.php">c</a><span><a href="http://www.campustours.com/press-2014-webbywin2.php">reated by Campus Tours Inc.</a>,</span> features interactive maps of their two&nbsp;main campuses, as well as one showing the main campus in the context of D.C. as a city. This way, visitors can get a better understanding of&nbsp;where it is in the context of city landmarks like the White House&nbsp;and the JFK Performance Center. You can&nbsp;hover your mouse over any building, street, green area, or body of water to see its name, and you can even "turn on" labels for shuttle stops and visitor parking areas. Overall, it's both user-friendly and visually stunning.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="george-washington-university-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/george-washington-university-website.png" title="george-washington-university-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">8)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.middlebury.edu/">Middlebury College</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Middlebury's website is unlike any college website I've seen before. Their homepage, designed&nbsp;by&nbsp;<span><a href="http://whitewhale.net/">White Whale Web Services</a>&nbsp;and launched in February 2010,&nbsp;features a number of colorful bars that act as a navigation system. Users can hover their mouse over each bar to see where clicking it would lead them -- such as&nbsp;a video snapshot of the community, homecoming highlights, a news story about new funding, and so on. Hover effects like these are great tools to help with a user's experience. The design isn't intrusive, and yet it helps web visitors keep track of where they're looking&nbsp;on a page.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="middlebury-college-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/middlebury-college-website.png" title="middlebury-college-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">9) <a href="http://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a></h3>
<p>UNL's website is a great example of simplicity in design. It limits its use of copy and visuals and embraces negative space, which can feel like a relief to users. Too many organizations try to cram a ton of visuals and text into a small space, whereas UNL's design is given room to breathe and helps users find things better. The site&nbsp;focuses on two calls-to-action: "Play Video" and "Apply Now."&nbsp;The use of video in the background instead of your typical, static background is visually stunning, too.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="university-of-nebraska-lincoln-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/university-of-nebraska-lincoln-website.png" title="university-of-nebraska-lincoln-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">10)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vcu.edu/">Virginia Commonwealth University</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">Speaking of calls-to-action, VCU's website does a wonderful job of using colorful, well-positioned&nbsp;CTA buttons to direct visitors to the next logical step. Their homepage design is an image carousel, and each one has a clear CTA encouraging users to "Read More," and so on. Underneath these stories are more calls-to-action using actionable language like "Register for classes," "Apply now," and "Plan a visit," accompanied by relevant icons. After all, the goal of the homepage is to compel visitors to dig deeper into your website. With clear CTAs, their homepage becomes a&nbsp;conversion&nbsp;engine, not just a brochure.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="virginia-commonwealth-university-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/virginia-commonwealth-university-website.png" title="virginia-commonwealth-university-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">11)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bates.edu/">Bates College</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">When you look at the top of Bates' homepage, you'll notice there are fewer navigation options than many of these other websites.&nbsp;<span>They've still included a dropdown menu at the top, but overall, they've reduced the number of links in the header and sidebar of the site.</span>&nbsp;Although reducing users' options may seem counterintuitive, it can actually help guide them to your most productive content. The designers of Bates' website simplifies navigation by putting their most productive content -- which are clearly labeled with identifiers like "Future Students," "Parents," and "Alumni" -- at the bottom but above the fold.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="bates-college-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/bates-college-website.png" title="bates-college-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">12)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brown.edu/">Brown University</a></h3>
<p>Brown's website has lots of images, but they use a neat trick to make it not seem so overwhelming: Their background photos are all muted while their featured content (in the example below, stories about student research) are large and vivid. This helps reduce the visual clutter on the page and give emphasis the university's prime focus: research.&nbsp;The website took two years to build from 2008 to 2010, with strategy and design by marketing and communications firm <a href="http://www.mstoner.com/">mStoner, Inc.</a> in partnership with Brown’s in-house Computer Information Services team. Their&nbsp;goal was to showcase the university and improve user experience.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="brown-university-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/brown-university-website.png" title="brown-university-website.png" width="669"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">13)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.clemson.edu/">Clemson University</a></h3>
<p>It's not uncommon to hear Clemson students claiming they "bleed orange" -- thanks to their university mascot, the Tigers.&nbsp;The designers of the university's website successfully carried over that branding by including elements like a bright orange banner, an orange scroll bar, and other orange accents along the way. The tiger's eyes in the header give the website some personality, too. The site was&nbsp;<span>created in-house by Clemson's Web Leadership Team and Communications Council and was launched in 2013 and was&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.edustyle.net/awards/2014/winners.php#1">nominated for a Webby</a> in the category of Best Website Redesign&nbsp;the following year.</p>
<p>It's also mobile responsive. Here's what the website looks like on desktop:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="clemson-university-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/clemson-university-website.png" title="clemson-university-website.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And here it is on mobile:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="clemson-mobile-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/clemson-mobile-website.png" title="clemson-mobile-website.png" width="500"></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">14)&nbsp;<a href="https://home.oberlin.edu/">Oberlin College</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">When we visited Oberlin's website for the first time, we were blown away by the&nbsp;stunning homepage image -- which, along with being visually pleasant to look at, also gave us a great idea of the school's culture and values. Instead of news updates and blurbs about academic offerings,&nbsp;the folks at Oberlin chose to showcase their student life. "Oberlin is a place of intense energy and creativity, built on a foundation of academic, artistic &amp; musical excellence," the homepage reads. The emphasis on culture&nbsp;shows they're catering content to prospective students above all.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="oberlin-college-website.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/oberlin-college-website.png" title="oberlin-college-website.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><em>Which college websites are your favorites? Share with us in the comments.</em></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-b745dfb9-df24-4935-871c-a6be1dca8589"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=b745dfb9-df24-4935-871c-a6be1dca8589&amp;pid=53"><img alt="Download the Guide - Inbound Marketing 101 for Higher Education" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/b745dfb9-df24-4935-871c-a6be1dca8589.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fbest-college-websites&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EducationDesignPop CultureDailyWeeklyWed, 22 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-college-websites2015-07-22T10:00:00ZWant More Traffic to Your Website? Try These 5 Tools & Tipshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-traffic-tips-tools
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-traffic-tips-tools" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/marketing-grader-tools.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>There are many things&nbsp;you can do in eight minutes or less. You can tidy up your to-do list. You can chip away at your mountain of emails. You can delete unnecessary&nbsp;meetings from your calendar. You can even get a&nbsp;real workout done (<a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/?_r=0">seriously</a>).&nbsp;</p>
<p>You know what else you can do in eight minutes or less? Get a bunch of great tips on how to better market your website and blog.</p><p><img alt="marketing-grader-tools.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/marketing-grader-tools.png" title="marketing-grader-tools.png" width="761"></p>
<p>There are many things&nbsp;you can do in eight minutes or less. You can tidy up your to-do list. You can chip away at your mountain of emails. You can delete unnecessary&nbsp;meetings from your calendar. You can even get a&nbsp;real workout done (<a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/?_r=0">seriously</a>).&nbsp;</p>
<p>You know what else you can do in eight minutes or less? Get a bunch of great tips on how to better market your website and blog.</p>
<p>This is exactly what we do during&nbsp;<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/marketing-grader-live-event">Marketing Grader Live</a>. We ask our audience to submit their websites for us to review. We choose three&nbsp;to review on camera. We have one goal in mind: Provide as many tips as possible&nbsp;in eight minutes or less.</p>
<p>In a recent episode, we mentioned several essential tools and tips that people can use to improve their website and blog. After the event,&nbsp;attendees kept asking us to list out the tools we mentioned, so we decided to compile them all into the following blog post.</p>
<p>(Want to tune into the next Marketing Grader Live episode?&nbsp;<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/marketing-grader-live-event">Sign up here</a>.)</p>
<h3>1) How to Quickly Diagnose and Solve a Google Penalty</h3>
<p>When trying to diagnose&nbsp;a potential Google penalty, it's important to look at the dates you noticed a decline in traffic. Because we didn't have access to the submitted website's analytics, we used <a href="http://www.semrush.com/">SEMRush</a> to look at traffic trends. Looking at the chart below, you can see one of the websites that was submitted had an extremely sharp decline in traffic in January 2013.</p>
<p><img alt="SEMRush - LondonPremierLaser" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/SEMRush_-_LondonPremierLaser_-_Organic_Traffic.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="SEMRush_-_LondonPremierLaser_-_Organic_Traffic.png" width="669"></p>
<p>We can then look at Moz's awesome list of <a href="https://moz.com/google-algorithm-change">Google algorithm changes</a> to see&nbsp;if this decline matches the dates of a specific update. In this case, there is a pretty clear match with Google's Panda updates.</p>
<p><img alt="Moz_Google_Algorith_Changes.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Moz_Google_Algorith_Changes.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="Moz_Google_Algorith_Changes.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Understanding what Google penalty may be affecting your site helps you&nbsp;focus on identifying its problems.&nbsp;For example, we know <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-algorithm-visual-history-infographic">Google Panda&nbsp;penalises&nbsp;sites</a> for things like poor quality content. Looking through the websites blog content, we could see a lot of posts had&nbsp;very little content and&nbsp;had large ads for their services. These can be potential flags for Google when assessing the quality of a website's content.</p>
<p><img alt="Google_Panda_potential_issue.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Google_Panda_potential_issue.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="Google_Panda_potential_issue.png" width="669"></p>
<p>Something else to look at is duplicate content. In this site's case, we discovered they had two versions of the site indexed: a https version and a http version. You can identify&nbsp;if you have this issue&nbsp;by searching&nbsp;the following command:&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><code>site:URL.com inurl:https</code></p>
<p><img alt="Dup_Content_with_https.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Dup_Content_with_https.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="Dup_Content_with_https.png" width="669"></p>
<p>The canonical tag was introduced by Google to help solve the problem of duplicate content. It allows website owners to tell Google if a piece of content is a duplicate version of another page. Setting the canonical tag correctly&nbsp;can help in situations like this where there is both a http and https version of the site indexed.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The problem for this site is they didn't have the canonical tag&nbsp;set to anything.</p>
<p><img alt="canonical-tag.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/canonical-tag.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="canonical-tag.png" width="669"></p>
<p>We told the site owner they should reevaluate&nbsp;their blogging strategy to provide more in-depth&nbsp;posts, make them less image-heavy, and fix the canonical tag to&nbsp;resolve&nbsp;their duplicate content issue.</p>
<h3>2) How to Find&nbsp;Your Most Valuable Keywords</h3>
<p>Another valuable tactic is spending time optimising your most valuable keywords.</p>
<p>HubSpot customers can use the Keyword Tool do just that. You can sort&nbsp;keywords&nbsp;by ranking, conversion, and long tail opportunities to uncover which keywords you should prioritise.</p>
<p>You should also pay attention to the CPC of each keyword. If a keyword has a high CPC, it's usually a good indication that keyword is generating revenue for people. Why else would they spend money bidding on it?</p>
<p><img alt="Keyword_Types_HubSpot" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Keyword_Types_HubSpot.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="Keyword_Types_HubSpot.png" width="669"></p>
<p>As mentioned above, we didn't have access to websites analytics. So we&nbsp;used <a href="http://www.semrush.com/">SEMRush</a>&nbsp;again to identify the websites'&nbsp;most valuable keywords.</p>
<p><img alt="SEMRush_-_Organic_Keywords.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/SEMRush_-_Organic_Keywords.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="SEMRush_-_Organic_Keywords.png" width="669"></p>
<p>We looked for keywords that were on Page 2 of Google's search results, had a nice amount of search volume, and a high CPC (based on the average CPC for their industry).&nbsp;Once you identify those keywords, go look at the page currently ranking for it and figure out how you can improve it.</p>
<p>Something I highly recommend is looking at competing pages for that keyword (those ranked above you) and ask yourself: Why would&nbsp;Google surface their&nbsp;page ahead of&nbsp;yours? Why is it a better experience for the user to land on that page versus yours?</p>
<p>If you use the HubSpot Marketing Platform, <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/products/seo">our software&nbsp;will recommend SEO improvements</a> for your different blog posts, landing pages, and website pages. If not, you should spend time looking for these keyword opportunities and ensure your pages are well optimised for them.</p>
<h3>3) How to Use&nbsp;Competitors to Expand Your Keyword Set</h3>
<p>There are a lot of tools you can use to expand your keyword set. If you use HubSpot, you can use the tool&nbsp;highlighted above to&nbsp;categorise your keywords. There are also other tools like the <a href="https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner">Google Keyword Planner</a>, <a href="http://ubersuggest.org/">UberSuggest</a>, and <a href="http://keywordtool.io/">Keyword.io</a>&nbsp;to help with keyword research.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But did you ever think to look at your competitors for keyword inspiration?&nbsp;</p>
<p>The HubSpot software&nbsp;has a built-in feature that helps you identify keywords your competitors are ranking for that may be relevant to you. Here is an example of websites in Germany that are relevant to HubSpot&nbsp;and what keywords they rank for.</p>
<p><img alt="competitor_keywords" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/competitor_keywords.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="SEMRush_-_Competitor_German_Keywords.png" width="669"></p>
<p>For websites currently not using HubSpot, you can see the&nbsp;example below of doing this in&nbsp;SEMRush:</p>
<p><img alt="SEMRush_Competitor_Keywords_Inspiration.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/SEMRush_Competitor_Keywords_Inspiration.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="SEMRush_Competitor_Keywords_Inspiration.png" width="669"></p>
<p>This shows keywords that both GVI.co.uk (one of the websites featured on Marketing Grader Live) and a competitor of theirs rank in the top 20 of Google.co.uk. Basically, all of the orange circle not currently occupied by GVI.co.uk is potential opportunity for them.&nbsp;Clicking into that circle allows you to see a list of keywords their competitors are ranking for, the estimated traffic they're receiving for that keyword, and the current cost per click of the keyword.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This information presents a wealth of&nbsp;keywords that may be relevant to their market, but they don't currently have any real visibility for. They can spend some time selecting keywords they want to appear for and either optimise&nbsp;existing content or publish new content that's relevant to those keywords.</p>
<h3>4) How to Optimise&nbsp;Your Websites for International Traffic</h3>
<p>Another really quick tip we shared with&nbsp;Zetes.com is the use of the hreflang tag to ensure their websites are optimised for international traffic. The hreflang tag helps Google understand what website is relevant for a particular country. You can read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/189077?hl=en">hreflang here</a>.</p>
<p>A really&nbsp;useful tool to check if your site has implemented the tag correctly is&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="http://flang.dejanseo.com.au/">Hreflang validation tool by DejanSEO</a>. It shows you if the tag has been implemented incorrectly on any of your sites. For example, in the below image, it looks as if Skype haven't implemented the tag correctly across all their sites.</p>
<p><img alt="Hreflang_validation_tool.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Hreflang_validation_tool.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="Hreflang_validation_tool.png" width="669"></p>
<p>If the tag hasn't been implemented correctly across <em>all</em> your international sites, it won't do you any good. If it's broken in just one place, then&nbsp;it won't work across all of your URLs.</p>
<h3>5) How to Figure Out Which Topics Your Audience Likes</h3>
<p>This last tip is going to be shortest, but it's also one of the most important. Checking if your content is being shared on social&nbsp;provides you with great feedback on how well the&nbsp;content you're publishing is resonating with your audience.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But how do I know what's a good average number of shares for my content?</p>
<p>With <a href="http://buzzsumo.com/">BuzzSumo</a>, you can&nbsp;compare the performance of your content against a number of competitors.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="BuzzSumo_-_Competitor_Analysis_-_Content.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/BuzzSumo_-_Competitor_Analysis_-_Content.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="BuzzSumo_-_Competitor_Analysis_-_Content.png" width="669"></p>
<p>This will not only help you understand how your content is performing with respect to the competition, but it will also tell you what content of yours is performing way above and below the average. You can use&nbsp;these insights to improve the content you're producing.</p>
<p><em>Those were just five of our favorite tips shared during Episode 2 of Marketing Grader Live. We really hope you can join us for Episode 3 on September 3rd. Not only will you get to see me again, but we will also have a very special guest there to offer you more great tips on how to improve your website.&nbsp;<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/marketing-grader-live-event">You can sign up for it right now</a>.&nbsp;</em><em>Also if you like this post, we would love for you to submit it to <a href="http://www.inbound.org">inbound.org</a> and leave a comment.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-3380ee9c-d470-4ab1-8caa-157e18175e44"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=3380ee9c-d470-4ab1-8caa-157e18175e44&amp;pid=53"><img alt="Save a seat at the next Marketing Grader Live!" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/3380ee9c-d470-4ab1-8caa-157e18175e44.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fwebsite-traffic-tips-tools&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">SEOSocial MediaAdvertisingDailyWed, 22 Jul 2015 08:00:00 GMTkflanagan@hubspot.com (Kieran Flanagan)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-traffic-tips-tools2015-07-22T08:00:00ZPhones Aren't Just for Texting: How Calls Fit Into the Customer Journey [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/customer-journey-phone-calls
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/customer-journey-phone-calls" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Phone_Calls_Customer_Journey.jpeg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>I've got a pretty big thing for phone calls. (I bet your sales reps do too.)</p>
<p>Why? Often times, it takes a lot of interest to get someone on the phone. In fact, i<span>nbound phone calls are 10-15X more likely to convert than website leads, <a href="http://conversionscientist.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-phone-calls-higher-conversion-rates/">according to Conversion Scientist</a>.</span></p>
<p>The trouble is that many marketers don’t know where to start when it comes to driving more inbound phone calls to their business.</p><p><img alt="Phone_Calls_Customer_Journey.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/Phone_Calls_Customer_Journey.jpeg" style="width: 761px; height: 315px;" title="Phone_Calls_Customer_Journey.jpeg"></p>
<p>I've got a pretty big thing for phone calls. (I bet your sales reps do too.)</p>
<p>Why? Often times, it takes a lot of interest to get someone on the phone. In fact, i<span>nbound phone calls are 10-15X more likely to convert than website leads, <a href="http://conversionscientist.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-phone-calls-higher-conversion-rates/">according to Conversion Scientist</a>.</span></p>
<p>The trouble is that many marketers don’t know where to start when it comes to driving more inbound phone calls to their business. Sure, digital is your native language, but truth be told, digital marketing and phone calls are a powerful duo.</p>
<p>So how do you take matters into your own hands and start actively using your marketing prowess to drive calls? Here are three easy steps to get you started.</p>
<h2>3 Ways to Make Phone Calls Part of the Customer Journey</h2>
<h3>Promote Your Phone Number</h3>
<p>I know it feels counterintuitive to use your digital properties and offers to lead people offline, but nothing can replace live human interaction. According to <a href="http://blog.invoca.com/20-incredible-stats-marketers-need-to-know-about-phone-calls/">Invoca’s Call Intelligence Index</a>,&nbsp;54% of consumers say mobile websites don’t provide enough information. Not to mention, 75% say a phone call is the quickest way to get a response.</p>
<p>The first step is simply putting your phone number on your website. Here are some quick tips:<strong><strong><br></strong></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Put your company’s phone number in the website’s header and throughout the site -- landing pages, your blog, etc. Above lead forms is also a great spot.</li>
<li>Make sure your phone number is clickable on mobile.</li>
<li>Play with the style, size, and placement to find out what results in the most calls.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Track What Drives Calls</h3>
<p>Now that you’re using your inbound strategy to drive phone calls, it’s time to dig into the numbers and find out what’s working. Here are some metrics to consider:<strong><strong><br></strong></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Top web pages driving phone calls</li>
<li>Top content offers driving phone calls</li>
<li>Referral sources and marketing campaigns driving calls</li>
<li>Average call duration</li>
<li>Trends in peak times/days for calls</li>
<li>Trends in callers’ geographic locations</li>
<li>Revenue from calls</li>
</ul>
<p>With call intelligence solutions, like <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/integrations/invoca">Invoca’s integration</a> with the HubSpot software, you can easily keep track of all these metrics&nbsp;right alongside your digital analytics.</p>
<h3>Optimize for More Calls</h3>
<p>Once you know how phone calls fit into the customer journey, you can start optimizing your efforts to drive more of your best leads towards a call. Start proving which programs and campaigns drive the most phone calls and revenue and put more resources behind them. You can also use trends in caller behavior and demographics to inform your targeting and lead filtering process.<strong><strong><br></strong></strong><br>The point is, you’ll have all the insights you need to make smart decisions that result in more high-converting inbound calls.&nbsp;To learn more about phone calls and the new customer journey take a look at Invoca’s new infographic below.</p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fphone-calls-customer-journey&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.invoca.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2Finvoca-cii-infographic_final.png&amp;description=3%20Ways%20to%20Make%20Phone%20Calls%20Part%20of%20the%20Customer%20Journey%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p><img alt="Call Intelligence Index" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn.invoca.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/invoca-cii-infographic_final.png" style="width: 669px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fphone-calls-customer-journey&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.invoca.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2Finvoca-cii-infographic_final.png&amp;description=3%20Ways%20to%20Make%20Phone%20Calls%20Part%20of%20the%20Customer%20Journey%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"> </a>
<span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="register for INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcustomer-journey-phone-calls&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Lead NurturingInbound SalesDailyTue, 21 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMThttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/customer-journey-phone-calls2015-07-21T16:00:00ZAmber TiffanyRebranding Your Company? How NOT to Kill Your SEO in the Processhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/rebranding-seo
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/rebranding-seo" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rebrand.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p>Considering a rebrand? You’re probably aware that it will be no easy feat. On top of the soul searching, repositioning, creative, legal headaches and everything else that’s involved, you’re going to have Google to reckon with.</p>
<p>So much of the work we do in marketing is based on building brand recognition and online visibility – and when not done properly, transitioning to a new name and domain can put that all at risk.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="rebrand.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/rebrand.jpg" title="rebrand.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>Considering a rebrand? You’re probably aware that it will be no easy feat. On top of the soul searching, repositioning, creative, legal headaches and everything else that’s involved, you’re going to have Google to reckon with.</p>
<p>So much of the work we do in marketing is based on building brand recognition and online visibility – and when not done properly, transitioning to a new name and domain can put that all at risk.</p>
<p>After years in business as Zizinya Web Solutions, we decided it was time to take the plunge. Over the years, we’d evolved from a local SEO and web design shop to a full blown digital agency, and we knew it was time our brand reflected that.</p>
<p>We wanted a new name that better communicated our true value proposition – eventually we settled on Bonafide. New name, new logo, <a href="http://www.gobonafide.com/">new website</a>.</p>
<p><img alt="rebrand-old-new" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/Bonafide/rebrand-old-new.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 650px;" width="650"></p>
<h4>But the work was far from over.</h4>
<p>As we moved through the transition process, we identified ten crucial steps that are critical to maintaining your online visibility during a rebrand.</p>
<p>It’s important to note that not every rebrand involves a new name and domain - if your company is only planning on new positioning and an updated logo, most of the advice in this post won’t apply. But if you’re brave enough to overhaul your company name, logo and website all in one go; read on.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Preliminary Work</h2>
<p>Advance planning is key. Before diving in to the tactical steps, you need to make sure you’ve got everything you need in order to pull the trigger when the time comes. Skipping these steps can cause some hiccups down the road.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Google Webmaster Tools</strong>. You’ll need to add and verify both sites in GWT to take advantage of Google’s Change of Address feature (more on this later). Make sure to do it in the same Google account.</li>
<li><strong>Google Analytics</strong>. Confirm that you have administrator access to the site in Google Analytics. If you don’t have the right permissions you won’t be able to update the old website information to the new one (we’ll cover this one later as well).</li>
<li><strong>Hosting and Registrar</strong>. Confirm that you have access to the hosting for both the old and new websites. You’ll also want to make sure that you’ll have the ability to host both the old and the new websites for the foreseeable future. Same with the old domain – you’ll want to register it for as long as possible in order to maintain control of it for years to come.</li>
<li><strong>Block the New Site</strong>. Your new website should be live and fully functional - but blocked from search engines for the time being. This is especially important to avoid duplicate content issues if the pages are mostly the same as the old site. You can do this easily with the Robots.txt file.</li>
<li><strong>Back up</strong>. Last but not least, make sure to back up your old site. It never hurts to be safe – and who knows, maybe you’ll get nostalgic down the road</li>
</ul>
<h2>Step 2: Benchmark Important KPIs</h2>
<p>If you’re in the marketing industry, you probably already make a point of measuring everything, but a historical record of your analytics data becomes even more important during a rebrand.</p>
<p>Take the time to benchmark your most important KPIs leading up to the transition. A good place to start would be:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Traffic</strong>. Break it down by channels like organic, referral, direct, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Rankings</strong>. Document positioning for 20-30 of your most important keywords – including both the new and old brand names.</li>
<li><strong>Links</strong>. Pull a list of all your backlinks – the sites that link to yours. I listed a couple of our favorite tools to do this in step 8.</li>
<li><strong>Citations</strong>. These are “mentions” of your old brand in important places online. You can record these by manually searching in Google or you can use a tool like BrightLocal or Yext.</li>
</ul>
<p>All set? Let’s move on to the fun stuff.</p>
<h2>Step 3: Prep Your 301 Redirects</h2>
<p>To ensure an awesome user experience (and to keep the search engines happy), you’ll need to redirect every page from your old site to the most relevant page of the new one. Although you’ll be creating your redirects file in this step, you won’t actually be using it until you’re ready to go fully live with the new site.</p>
<p>Depending on the particulars of your rebrand, this step could be a piece of cake. Or not.</p>
<h4>Do your old site and new site have <em><strong>the same</strong></em> pages and URL structure?</h4>
<p>You’re in luck. You can use a couple of lines of code in your .htaccess file to simply route all the pages on the old domain to the corresponding page on the new one.</p>
<p>Here’s the code you would use – just swap out your domains accordingly:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre><span style="font-size: 12px;">RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain.com$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.olddomain.com$
RewriteRule (.*)$ http://www.newdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]</span></pre>
</blockquote>
<h4>Do your old site and new site have <em>different</em> pages and URL structure?</h4>
<p>If that’s the case, you’ll need to take a few extra steps. And if you have a website with lots of pages (if you’ve been practicing inbound marketing, you almost certainly do), this step might take some time.</p>
<p>You’ll still be using the .htaccess file, but in this case you’ll have to redirect each page on your old site to the most relevant page on the new site.</p>
<p>Here’s how you would do this with some sample code again:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre><span style="font-size: 12px;">Redirect 301 /old-sample-page.html http://www.newdomain.com/new-sample-page.html </span><br><span style="font-size: 12px;">Redirect 301 /old-sample-page-2.html http://www.newdomain.com/new-sample-page-2.html</span></pre>
</blockquote>
<p>Since our new website is completely different than our old one, this is the route we had to go. We found it easiest to manage this process with a spreadsheet. We listed the URLs for every page on the old site in one column, and then dropped in the corresponding URLs on the new site in the next column. Of course, any pages that generate a lot of traffic or have a lot of backlinks should take priority, so organize your spreadsheet to update the most important pages first.</p>
<p>It’s important to note that if you have a blog, landing pages or any other content on a different subdomain that is hosted elsewhere; you’ll have to create a separate .htaccess file for those URLs. Fortunately, our blog is hosted on Hubspot and they have a seamless URL mapping tool that took care of all that for us.</p>
<h2>Step 4: Deploy!</h2>
<p>Ready to pull the trigger? It’s time for all that hard work you’ve done to finally pay off – this is the easiest step!</p>
<ol>
<li>First, upload the .htaccess file you created in step 3 to the old domain hosting. The results will be instantaneous, and it’s a good idea to test several of the old URLs to make sure they point to the right pages on the new site. Don’t forget to test the home page.</li>
<li>Then, remove the Robots.txt command on the new site that’s blocking it from search engines. That’s it!</li>
</ol>
<p>Don’t be tempted to take down the old website too soon. It can take DNS a few days to update, so some searchers will continue to see your old site after your redirect is set up. Taking down your site too early could end up with a bunch of 404s - confusing your customers and jeopardizing your traffic.</p>
<h2>Step 5: Update Google Webmaster Tools and Analytics</h2>
<p>After setting up your 301 redirects, you’ll want to let Google know that you’re moving your website. Google Webmaster Tools has a handy <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/83106?hl=en">change of address feature</a> that you can use to do just that. Just navigate to the old site and click on the gear at the top of your screen:</p>
<p><img alt="GWT Change of Address" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/GWT-login.jpg" style="width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; display: block;" title="GWT Change of Address" width="700"></p>
<p>Once you let them know which site you’re moving to (it has to be a site in your account – this is why we had you verify both sites in step 1), you’ll go through a couple of quick verification steps and – boom, you’re done.</p>
<p>Next, you’ll want to let Google Analytics know that your site URL has changed. This step is also a breeze. Just log in to your GA account and navigate to your site’s account. Head on over to the Admin tab and you’ll see the following screen:</p>
<p><img alt="GA" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/Bonafide/GA.jpg" style="width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; display: block;" width="700"></p>
<p>You’ll probably want to update the info in two places. Under Account Settings update the Account Name field; and under Property Settings update both the Property name and the Default URL fields.</p>
<p>While you’re at it, you might want to <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/analytics/features/annotations.html">add an annotation</a> in Google Analytics on the day you do this so you have an easy reference point when comparing traffic before and after your switch.</p>
<p><em><strong>Bonus</strong>: Create a sitemap.xml file on your new site and submit it to Google through Webmaster Tools. It should help them crawl your site faster.</em></p>
<h2>Step 6:&nbsp;Give the Search Engines Signals to Connect the Old and New Names</h2>
<p>The search engines will eventually figure out the connection between your old and new company names, but you can send them signals in a number of places to help make it clear.</p>
<p>We used some variations of <em>Bonafide (formerly Zizinya Web Solutions)</em> and dropped it into a few different places including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Our title tags and meta descriptions</li>
<li>The footer of our website</li>
<li>A custom 404 page</li>
<li>Our social media account handles and/or descriptions</li>
<li>Guest blog posts on high-authority websites like this one :-)</li>
</ul>
<p>Here's an example of how we used our old name in our title and meta tags:</p>
<p><img alt="rebrand-serp" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/Bonafide/rebrand-serp.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p>“About Us” pages typically include some information about a company’s history, which makes them a good spot for mentioning your previous brand name if it makes sense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While this “information scent” is important for SEO, it also helps make the transition less confusing for your visitors. Someone who searches for your old brand and ends up on an unfamiliar website with a new name and look could end up really confused. And confusion = bounces.</p>
<h2>Step 7: Update Your Directory Listings</h2>
<p>If you do any local business (and who doesn’t really) you’ll want to show up for local searches that involve your products or services. One of the strongest local ranking factors is the consistency of your business NAP – that is its Name, Address and Phone number – across the scores of local, regional and industry business directories. In the SEO world these are called citations.</p>
<p>That said, you’ll need to go back and update every listing with your company’s new information. Yes, it’s tedious – but your local SEO efforts depend on it.</p>
<p>Be warned, this is not a “once and done” type of undertaking. You’ll find that many of the directories take what seems like an eternity to update the listing (if at all), and once they do it could be weeks before Google crawls the new info.</p>
<p><em><strong>Tip</strong>: Start with the data providers like <a href="http://www.infogroup.com/">Infogroup</a>, <a href="http://www.databyacxiom.com/index.html">Acxiom</a>, <a href="http://www.factual.com/">Factual</a> and <a href="https://www.neustarlocaleze.biz/welcome/">Localeze</a> because they feed many of the other directories their business info.</em></p>
<p>A well-organized spreadsheet is a great way to plan, document and track your progress. Here’s a screenshot of ours:</p>
<p><img alt="locals-spreadsheet" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/Bonafide/locals-spreadsheet.png" style="width: 709px; margin: 20px auto; display: block;" width="709"></p>
<p>There are also a bunch of great tools to help take some of the grunt work out of this process. <a href="https://www.brightlocal.com/seo-tools/citation-burst/">BrightLocal</a> and <a href="https://moz.com/local">Moz Local</a> are two of our favorites.</p>
<h2>Step 8:&nbsp;Do Some Link Update Outreach</h2>
<p>Much like updating your directories, this part of the process is likely to take a little time. The goal here is to get all the strong links that point to your old site and/or mention your old name updated to the new information.</p>
<p>The first step is determining all the websites that have mentioned your old company name or included a link to it. Luckily, there are several tools that can help with this process, including <a href="https://ahrefs.com/">Ahrefs</a>, <a href="https://majestic.com/">Majestic</a>, and Moz’s <a href="https://moz.com/researchtools/ose/">Open Site Explorer</a>.</p>
<p>Next, compile all of those links into a spreadsheet, dedupe and start working your way down the list. Using a template email is definitely quicker, but as with all outreach efforts, a personalized approach is best. Use the spreadsheet to keep up with which links and mentions have been updated – and who to follow up with.</p>
<p><em><strong>Tip</strong>: While this step is certainly time-consuming, it also doubles as an opportunity to <a href="https://moz.com/ugc/guide-to-using-unlinked-brand-mentions-for-link-acquisition-20981">turn some of those mentions into links</a>. Score!</em></p>
<h2>Step 9:&nbsp;Promote Your New Brand</h2>
<p>Time to get the word out. If you do this well, you could actually end up with more traffic and overall visibility than you had before.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Email announcement</strong>. Tell everyone – customers, vendors, suppliers and friends. You want to get people to start searching with your new brand name.</li>
<li><strong>Press release</strong>. Write a compelling release that includes your new brand’s story and send it out via a PR distribution platform. Be sure to include your old brand name and the new NAP because the release will likely get picked up by multiple sites.</li>
<li><strong>Guest posts</strong>. In spite of the past year’s controversy surrounding Matt Cutts’ comments on spammy guest posting, it’s still one of the best techniques for brand promotion when done right. Pitch relevant blog posts with sites whose audiences can learn from your rebranding experience.</li>
<li><strong>Social Media</strong>. Update your social media profiles with your new brand information and use them to get your new name out there. This is a great time to invest in paid social to expand your reach.</li>
<li><strong>PPC</strong>. If you did a good job of marketing your old brand, people will probably continue to search for it for a while to come. Buy some PPC ads for your old business name and use the ad copy to communicate the rebrand.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Step 10:&nbsp;Follow-up and Monitor</h2>
<p>Nope, you’re not done yet. For the next couple of months you’ll need to do a lot of monitoring and follow up. Here are some key areas to focus on:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Directory listings</strong>. I mentioned in step 7 that this was not a “once and done” process. Since it takes the data providers a while to update your information, you’re going to see lots of listings pop up with the old brand name. Much like a game of whack-a-mole, you’ll need to periodically find, claim and update the old listings. This could go on for months and it’s important that you catch them as they surface.</li>
<li><strong>Links</strong>. It’ll probably take you a couple of outreach attempts to get your links updated to the new brand information. In many cases you probably won’t succeed. Focus on getting the most important, authoritative and relevant links updated – don’t worry about the crappy “made for SEO” directories.</li>
<li><strong>Crawl errors and 404s</strong>. No matter how much prep work you do, you’re bound to see some of these. Thankfully, Google Webmaster Tools tracks all of them for you. Keep an eye on 404s (pages that are not found) - as they surface, you should redirect them then “mark as fixed” in GWT.</li>
<li><strong>Traffic and rankings</strong>. Keep a close eye on the KPIs you benchmarked in step 2. If you see a big tank in either your traffic or your rankings, you’ll want to dig deeper and find the problem. Expect to see rankings steadily improve for your new brand name – how long it takes will depend on how competitive the term is.</li>
</ul>
<p>Be aware that even after completing these steps, you might experience a dip in traffic for a month or two while all your updates are indexed by search engines. Play your cards right, and that should only be temporary. Play them exceptionally well, and you could actually end up with even more traffic and visibility once the dust settles.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-aec9c790-0a05-47c3-82e3-4a86c4535d85"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=aec9c790-0a05-47c3-82e3-4a86c4535d85&amp;pid=53"><img alt="New Call-to-action" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/aec9c790-0a05-47c3-82e3-4a86c4535d85.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Frebranding-seo&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">SEOBrandingTue, 21 Jul 2015 15:00:00 GMTshareef@gobonafide.com (Shareef Defrawi)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/rebranding-seo2015-07-21T15:00:00ZContent Marketing Strategy: A Comprehensive Guide for Modern Marketershttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/content-marketing-guide.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>I've written my share of blog posts about content marketing. I've also written a few comprehensive&nbsp;guides in my time. But I've never combined the two -- maybe because the prospect of trying to produce an in-depth version of the thing I do for a living seems too daunting. I mean, where do I start? And more importantly ... where do I stop?&nbsp;</p><p><img alt="content-marketing-guide.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/content-marketing-guide.jpg" title="content-marketing-guide.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>I've written my share of blog posts about content marketing. I've also written a few comprehensive&nbsp;guides in my time. But I've never combined the two -- maybe because the prospect of trying to produce an in-depth version of the thing I do for a living seems too daunting. I mean, where do I start? And more importantly ... where do I stop?&nbsp;</p>
<p>I won't pull any punches: I started, and it took a while to stop. That is to say you're about to dive into a pretty in-depth post (that's a nice way of saying "long") about content marketing, one which you may want to bookmark to read later. But I think it covers most of the aspects of content marketing that modern inbound marketers need to consider, beyond the basics of simply writing content optimized for the web.</p>
<p>All that being said, we'll plan on doing deeper dives on any subject matters covered below if you'd like them. Feel free to scan the following headers and let us know if there are&nbsp;any sections you think you need more help with. We'll take it from there.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What Is Content Marketing?</h2>
<p>To explain how content marketing works, we first have to agree on a definition. Unfortunately, I might've sent myself on&nbsp;a fool's errand -- I went through&nbsp;dozens of&nbsp;different iterations of a content marketing definition (including the somewhat&nbsp;flippant "content marketing is using content for marketing") and found none of them totally satisfactory. But I hate to let perfection get in the way of progress, so let's just get something down on paper so we have a&nbsp;basis for discussion:</p>
<p>Content marketing is&nbsp;a marketing program that centers on&nbsp;creating, publishing, and distributing content for your&nbsp;target audience -- usually online -- the goal of which is to attract new customers.</p>
<p>The most common components of a content marketing program are social media networks, blogs, visual content, and premium content assets -- like tools, ebooks, or webinars. Here are some scenarios to demonstrate the mechanics.</p>
<h3>Scenario 1:</h3>
<p>You run an accounting firm that specializes in tax preparation, and business was lagging this year. You want to do better next year, so you start a blog on your website and publish posts about some of the common tax-related issues your target customer faces.&nbsp;You write a few posts a week, and eventually those blog posts start to rank in Google and other search engines.</p>
<p>When tax season rolls around and people are Googling answers to their tax preparation questions, they stumble upon your blog posts, and realize you offer tax preparation services. Some of&nbsp;them keep doing their own tax preparation, but perhaps keep you in mind for next year; others throw their hands up in the air, decide to rid themselves of tax preparation headaches for good, and hire you -- because you're clearly way more qualified&nbsp;to do&nbsp;this than they are.</p>
<h3>Scenario 2:</h3>
<p>You're Director of Marketing for an agency&nbsp;that&nbsp;specializes in design solutions for small businesses. You're having trouble attracting&nbsp;customers, though, because keeping an agency on retainer seems like a luxury for a&nbsp;small business. So you decide to create some DIY design tools to help them, you know, DIY.&nbsp;You do some keyword research and notice about 2,000 people are searching for an "infographic generator" every month, so you decide to build one that people can use for free once -- and if they like it, they can create more infographics for free if they provide a name and email address.</p>
<p>You create a few sample infographics and share them on <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33415/The-Social-Media-Publishing-Schedule-Every-Marketer-Needs-Template.aspx">social media</a> so people see what the tool is capable of doing, and between that and the traffic coming from organic search, you start to get a few hundred people using it every month. A few of them like it so much they provide their name and email address so they can continue using it.&nbsp;Now that you have their contact information, you're able to identify some people that would be a good customer fit and keep in touch with them, nurturing them into customers.</p>
<h2>Why&nbsp;Businesses Need a Content Marketing Strategy</h2>
<p>Those scenarios might have sounded like a lot of work to you, especially when considered alongside marketing programs that provide more immediate gratification -- like <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32892/Why-Purchasing-Email-Lists-Is-Always-a-Bad-Idea.aspx">list purchasing</a>, PPC, or trade show marketing that deliver names and email addresses in mere minutes. Often, content marketing is used when businesses realize those programs are either ineffective, too expensive, not scalable, or all of the above. Here's what I mean, using the "infographic generator" example above for demonstrations.</p>
<p>Let's say you're using PPC as your primary means of generating leads for your business. You need more leads, and decide to bid on the term "infographic generator" for $2 a click. At the end of your month-long campaign, you generated 1,000 leads and spent $10,000. Not bad. But what about next month? You have to spend $10,000 again. And again. <em>And again</em>. That is, if you want the leads to keep coming. In other words, when you turn the faucet of money off, leads stop coming out. The same concept applies with list purchasing, tradeshow marketing -- anything where you don't own the property from which leads are generated. Now let's contrast that experience against, say, blogging.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-blog-post-simple-formula-ht">You write a blog post</a>&nbsp;about your infographic generator, and included a link to the tool in the post so people can try it for themselves. Let's say the visitor-to-lead conversion rate is the same on this blog post as it was in your PPC campaign -- 2%. That means if 100 people read that blog post in your first month, you'd get two&nbsp;leads from it. But your work is done now. And over time, that one blog post you wrote years ago will continue to generate leads over, and over, and over, every single month. And not just that blog post -- every blog post you write will do the same.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="blogging_compounding_returns-1.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/blogging_compounding_returns-1.jpg" title="blogging_compounding_returns-1.jpg" width="669"></p>
<p>In other words, content marketing programs set businesses up for predictable, scalable, and cost-effective traffic and lead-flow that doesn't rely on securing budget each month. It's like an annuity.</p>
<p>Usually, businesses don't completely cease all other marketing activities and switch to content marketing cold turkey. In fact, most veteran content marketing programs typically incorporate other marketing techniques to complement their content initiatives. But the impetus for most of the companies I've worked with to initiate a content marketing program has been the need for a more <strong>cost-effective</strong>, <strong>predictable</strong>, and <strong>scalable</strong>&nbsp;source of <strong>traffic</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>leads </strong>than what they've been receiving from their current marketing programs.</p>
<p>If you're in the same boat, let's get down to brass tacks and talk about how to "do" content marketing.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Figuring Out&nbsp;Who Should Lead Your Content Marketing</h2>
<p>Content marketing requires manpower, so the first step is figuring out who is going to head up the program. There's no one-size-fits-all for team structure -- it depends largely&nbsp;on the size of your company, your marketing team, and your budget. But if we assume that those three things are interlinked, as they often are, I can provide you with some frameworks based off of other content marketing-focused companies' structures. These should help you hire the right people, and have them "sitting" in the right spot in&nbsp;your organization.</p>
<p>The proxy for content marketing in the following charts is "Attract", since content marketing is the top-of-the-funnel activity that attracts people to your business. "Convert" and "Close" refer to middle-of-the-funnel and bottom-of-the-funnel marketing activities, like email marketing, nurturing, sales enablement, marketing ops, conversion rate optimization, etc.</p>
<h3>Startup, Marketing Team of 1, Little-to-No Content Marketing Budget</h3>
<p>When you're a solopreneur or have just one person dedicated&nbsp;to marketing, it's pretty clear who runs content marketing -- you're a full-funnel marketer.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.52.18_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.52.18_AM.png" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.52.18_AM.png" width="669"></p>
<p>In terms of your content marketing responsibilities, your job is to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Create content -- written and visual, long-form (often placed behind a form) and short-form (publicly available, like a blog post)</li>
<li>Optimize that content for SEO</li>
<li>Manage social media</li>
</ul>
<h3>SMB, Marketing Team of 3, Some Content Marketing Budget</h3>
<p>When the marketing team starts to grow, who leads content marketing gets more interesting. With a team of three marketers, you can approach content marketing a couple&nbsp;ways. Either one person can own content marketing activities, while the other two own activities that align more with the middle- and bottom-of the funnel. Or, two people can own content marketing activities, while the third owns the rest.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-structure-marketing-team">HubSpot's CMO recommends the latter</a>:&nbsp;</p>
<p>"T<span>he best way to help your sales team is to build brand awareness and create content that generates a lot of leads over time.&nbsp;<span>An&nbsp;increase&nbsp;of twice as many leads means twice as many </span><em>quality </em><span>leads -- as long as you have software that lets you filter those incoming leads efficiently. </span><em>That's</em><span> how you build a successful sales and marketing machine,</span>" explains Mike Volpe.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.53.01_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.53.01_AM.png" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.53.01_AM.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">At this stage, the work of the one or two content marketers on your team remains about the same as it does with a team of one -- <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-content-marketing-tools-list">content creation</a>, SEO, and social media. Even if you decide to dedicate two hires to content marketing as Volpe suggests, to bifurcate responsibilities between those two employees is premature. Both employees should contribute to all three responsibilities, and leadership of the content marketing program is shared between those employees.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Mid-size,&nbsp;Marketing Team of 9, Dedicated Content Marketing Budget</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">This is where things get&nbsp;<em>really&nbsp;</em>interesting. If you've got a marketing team of about nine people, the recommendation is still to over-invest in content marketing activities that grow the top of your funnel.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.54.17_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.54.17_AM.png" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.54.17_AM.png" width="669"></p>
<p>With five employees dedicated to content marketing, it's now time to bifurcate responsibility. Here's how you can break it down:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Blogging:</strong> Two employees</li>
<li><strong>Long-form/premium content:</strong> One employee</li>
<li><strong>SEO:</strong> One employee</li>
<li><strong>Design:</strong> One employee</li>
</ul>
<p>At this stage of growth, there's likely a CMO or other head of marketing to whom all these employees report. Thus the CMO should be leading the content marketing program,&nbsp;though the day-to-day activities will be carried out by the team of five.</p>
<h3>Large/Enterprise,&nbsp;Marketing Team of 18, Sizeable Content Marketing Budget</h3>
<p>With a marketing team size of around 18, your content marketing team will be staffed with all the same roles -- bloggers, long-form content creators, SEO specialists, designers -- just multiplied. Aim to have three bloggers on staff, and two employees for each of the other roles. It's wise to have one of those bloggers <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/ultimate-editing-checklist">have expertise in editing</a>, too, so there's someone dedicated to maintaining content quality as output increases.</p>
<p>At this stage of growth, it's also time to assign dedicated leadership to your content marketing team -- unless you want two dozen people reporting to the CMO. Many organizations hire a Director of Content, VP of Content, Chief Content Officer, or Editor-in-Chief to lead the entire content marketing team. This individual&nbsp;sets the vision for the team, secures budget, hires the right talent,&nbsp;contributes content ideas, solves for growth, and helps coordinate with other leaders across the marketing organization so content marketing doesn't become too siloed.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.55.59_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.55.59_AM.png" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.55.59_AM.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Some companies may have marketing teams of far more than 18. Here at HubSpot, for example, we have a team of nearly 100.&nbsp;Even so, we stick to a team structure quite similar to the structure an 18-person marketing team might use -- with one modification. Design is broken off of the Content Team, and relegated to a separate team. This might make sense for your organization, too, if you find that:</p>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;">Designers need to fulfill requests for employees on every team -- making them more full-funnel marketers than dedicated top-of-the-funnel marketers.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">You've hired content creators that are capable of doing some design on their own -- simple things like laying out ebooks, creating social images, or doing some basic front-end design work.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Your content marketing budget includes room for an agency retainer, or contracted design work from third-parties as needed.</li>
</ol>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.44.35_AM.png" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.44.35_AM.png" title="Screen_Shot_2015-07-02_at_11.44.35_AM.png" width="669"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If you'd like to check out more corporate org charts to see where notable companies place their content marketing team, download <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/organizational-structure-guide"><em>The Free Guide to Organizational Structures</em></a>.</p>
<h2>Step 2: Hiring for Content Marketing</h2>
<p>So you've seen some content marketing team structures and the different job titles you might hire for. What do these people do? And how do you hire the right people for the roles? To get you started, here are some sample job descriptions, along with the skills and qualities ideal candidates will possess.</p>
<p>Your specific needs might vary -- for instance, perhaps you need subject matter expertise in your writers, or coding experience from your long-form content creators. Or perhaps your titles differ, and your "content creators" are actually "content strategists", or your "social media manager" is really a "specialist." Make edits as you see fit, but these frameworks should be helpful in getting you started if this is your first time hiring for any of these positions.</p>
<h3>Blogger</h3>
<p>We are seeking a savvy wordsmith to join our blogging team. Candidates must have a knack and love for writing and a comprehensive understanding of the industry. The blogger will be expected to sustain and develop the company's voice across all blog content.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Writing various types of articles on a wide range of topics for our blog.</li>
<li>Providing feedback to other contributors, and editing other writers’ content.</li>
<li>Optimizing content for&nbsp;<span></span>search engines<span>&nbsp;</span>and<span>&nbsp;</span>lead generation.</li>
<li>Conducting analytical projects to improve blog strategies/tactics.</li>
<li>Growing blog subscribers&nbsp;<span></span>and expanding the overall blog's reach.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>A passion and strong understanding of the industry and our business' mission.</li>
<li>Exceptional writing and editing skills, as well as the ability to adopt the style, tone, and voice of our business' various types of content.</li>
<li>An analytical mind and interest in using data to optimize/scale blog marketing strategies and tactics.</li>
<li>Excellent organizational skills to work independently and manage projects with many moving parts.</li>
<li>2-3 years of marketing and content creation experience.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Long-Form Content Creator</h3>
<p>We are looking for a prolific and talented content creator to write and produce various projects and blog regularly, to expand our company’s digital footprint, awareness, subscribers, and leads. This role requires a high level of creativity, attention to detail, and project management skills.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Creating 1-2 free resources each month to drive leads, subscribers, awareness, and/or other important metrics (examples include <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-create-ebooks-free-templates-ht">ebooks</a>, whitepapers, infographics, guides, etc.).</li>
<li>Blogging on an ongoing basis in support of your other projects and to attract site visitors through search, social, and our email subscribers.</li>
<li>Growing our subscriber base by providing them regular, helpful content that’s in-tune with their needs.</li>
<li>Collaborating with designers, product marketing, sales, and external influencers and industry experts to produce relevant content that meets the needs of both key stakeholders and our audience.</li>
<li>Convincing others that your creative ideas are worth investing time and effort in. This role is at the core of the marketing team, and others will rely on your work every single day.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>BA/BS degree or equivalent working experience.</li>
<li>Past experience producing content for the web specifically, as well as channel-specific knowledge (blog, SlideShare, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).</li>
<li>Past experience building audiences either online or offline.</li>
<li>A dual-minded approach: You’re highly creative and an excellent writer but can also be process-driven, think scale, and rely on data to make decisions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Social Media Manager</h3>
<p>We’re looking for a social media manager to grow our followers, engage and retain them, and help convert them into leads, customers, and active fans and promoters of our company. You should have command of best practices and trends in social media marketing, enjoy being creative, and understand how to both build and convert a digital audience.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Building and managing the company’s social media profiles and presence, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and potentially additional channels (Snapchat, Instagram, Vine, etc.).</li>
<li>Creating&nbsp;shareable content appropriate for specific networks.</li>
<li>Listening and engaging in relevant social discussion about our company, competitors, and/or industry.</li>
<li>Running regular social promotions and campaigns and track their success, ranging from Twitter chats, to Google+ Hangouts, to LinkedIn conversations.</li>
<li>Working alongside other marketers and content producers to help distribute content that educates and entertains our audience.</li>
<li>Driving consistent, relevant traffic and leads from our social network presence.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>BA/BS degree or equivalent work experience.</li>
<li>Active and well-rounded personal presence on social media, with a command of each network and their best practices.</li>
<li>Excellent communicator and creative thinker, with an ability to use both data and intuition to inform decisions.&nbsp; &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h3>SEO Specialist</h3>
<p>You will be responsible for identifying and executing on opportunities to improve our company’s and our content’s search ranking for key terms.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Managing both on-site and off-site SEO for the company.</li>
<li>Collaborating with bloggers&nbsp;to create high-quality content around important, relevant terms.</li>
<li>Managing organic search engine performance and set goals based on traffic, clickthrough rates, and conversions.</li>
<li>Staying up-to-date with the latest trends and changes with SEO and major search engines.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>BA/BS or equivalent working experience.</li>
<li>Thorough knowledge of current search ranking and optimization factors, and key algorithm updates.</li>
<li>Proficient in web analytics and keyword tools.</li>
<li>Experience with data-driven SEO analysis and optimization.</li>
<li>Excellent written and oral communication skills.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Designer</h3>
<p>Responsible for the creation and maintenance of both our marketing assets and content created to support the product and other marketing goals. From concept through execution, this candidate will improve our user experience by bringing our brand to life and keeping it consistent across all our various touchpoints.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Helping bring new ideas for design and content creation to the team using your expertise and eye for great design.</li>
<li>Collaborating with long- and short-form writers&nbsp;to help their content come to life.</li>
<li>Scoping and creating templates for our team to be more efficient in their postings on social media, the blog, email, and other channels.</li>
<li>Managing other design needs such as presentations, signage, and trade show collateral as needed.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>BA/BS or equivalent working experience.</li>
<li>Past work either as an in-house designer or at a marketing agency. (We require work samples to apply for this position.)</li>
<li>Experience designing assets that are mobile-, tablet-, and desktop-friendly.</li>
<li>Expert in Adobe Creative Suite or similar technologies.</li>
<li>Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript a major plus.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Step 3: Acquiring Proper Content Marketing&nbsp;Tools &amp; Technology</h2>
<p>The good thing about content marketing is that once you have the right person (or people) on your team to do it, you've got just about everything you need, save some of the basic tools and technology you need to publish content.</p>
<p>I&nbsp;personally prefer things simple, so I think of content marketing technology solutions in terms of "need it" or "nice to have." Nice-to-have technologies are things like competitive intelligence tools, market research tools, or software that clues you in to real-time trends. Experiment with these on a rolling basis -- most will offer a free trial so you can validate it. But first, make sure you're set up with the core technologies every content marketing team needs.</p>
<h3>CMS</h3>
<p>At HubSpot, we use ... well, we use HubSpot at HubSpot. It comes with a CMS called the Content Optimization System, which allows you to create and publish content quickly in a format that's web-friendly. Whether you use HubSpot or another CMS, you need <em>some</em> CMS so your content marketing team can easily set up a blog, add blog posts, and add website pages without having to get help from IT or developers.</p>
<h3>Analytics&nbsp;</h3>
<p>You'll need some analytics for your website and blog so you can measure your content marketing performance against your goals. Some content marketing teams rely on Google Analytics, others rely on <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32019/Why-Every-Marketer-Needs-Closed-Loop-Reporting.aspx">more robust closed-loop solutions that make it easy to tie content marketing activities at the top of the funnel to revenue</a>. I recommend the latter if you want to use metrics to prove the success of your content marketing program so you can secure more budget and grow the team. If you're looking for an easy way to share numbers across your organization, look into <a href="https://datahero.com/">DataHero</a>. This tool integrates with the HubSpot software and allows you to track, visualize, and share your analytics through&nbsp;<span>customized dashboards and charts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3>Project Management Software</h3>
<p>With the pace of social media and the frequency of blogging, not to mention that many of your content assets will be used across multiple campaigns and teams, a lightweight project management tool is critical. I recommend using a free software called <a href="https://trello.com/">Trello</a>, which helps you organize your content, set deadlines, attach files, and collaborate with multiple&nbsp;teammates. Another great tool for keeping content projects organized from planning to publishing is <a href="http://www.zerys.com/">Zerys</a> -- a content marketing tool with a built-in marketplace of professional writers.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Design Software&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Visual content plays a big role in the success of a content marketing strategy. We've found that The Adobe Creative Suite will set&nbsp;content marketers up with everything they need to lay out ebooks, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-ppt-infographic-templates-designs-ht">design infographics</a>, create social images, etc. The team will find themselves in InDesign, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34010/How-to-Use-Photoshop-The-Ultimate-Guide-for-the-Design-Impaired-Marketer.aspx">Photoshop</a>, Illustrator, and Acrobat pretty frequently. For a free alternative, try&nbsp;<a href="https://www.canva.com/">Canva</a>. This lightweight&nbsp;software makes it easy for&nbsp;designers of all levels&nbsp;to create quality visual content -- things like presentations, cover photos, ads etc.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As I mentioned earlier, these are simply the core technologies you should look for when you're just getting started. As you scale, <a href="http://t.sidekickopen01.com/e1t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJW7t5XYg1qg57MW7d-cz63LyNbTVQJSG056dW98dc8hNg02?t=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hubspot.com%2Fproducts%2Fintegrations&amp;si=6459534176419840&amp;pi=7c93c89b-84da-424a-fbf9-7b5853123589">there are a lot of other tools and software that might be worth investment</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Step 4: Creating Content</h2>
<p>We have the team. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoLs0V8T5AA">We have&nbsp;the technology</a>. Now we have to actually start "doing" the content marketing. In this blog post, we&nbsp;can't cover every manner of sin when it comes to creating content, but we can go over <strong>1)</strong> the types of content assets a content marketing team could be creating to demonstrate the breadth of the opportunities available to the content marketing team, and <strong>2)</strong> who should be involved in creating those assets.</p>
<h3>Blog Posts</h3>
<p>Predictably, blog posts are typically written by&nbsp;the bloggers. However, if your team is large enough to have someone dedicated to creating gated assets and premium content -- things like ebooks and tools -- they should also write blog posts to help promote those assets. SEO specialists will also work closely with bloggers, as blog posts are often a company's best opportunity to improve organic search rankings. As such, bloggers should be writing posts that help improve the site's SEO, and drive organic traffic and leads. Their editorial should be informed by keyword&nbsp;research, and optimized for SEO.</p>
<h4>Types of Blog Posts to Write:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>How-to</strong> - Posts that teach readers how to do something; these typically perform very well in organic search if they align with long-tail&nbsp;search&nbsp;terms.</li>
<li><strong>List Posts</strong> - Curated examples that can be informative, and thus also rather search-friendly, or simply entertaining.</li>
<li><strong>Thought Leadership</strong> - Posts that explain fundamental shifts in an industry, or ask the reader to rethink convention wisdom.</li>
<li><strong>Newsjacks</strong> - Timely content that either reports&nbsp;on industry news, or finds unexpected tie-ins with popular news items.</li>
<li><strong>Infographics/SlideShares</strong> - Blog posts that primarily use visual content to tell a story.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Premium or Gated Assets</h3>
<p>Premium or gated assets are typically longer form, and/or more time-intensive pieces that don't exist on a blog. They might be used to generate leads or contacts, or for brand-building purposes. These are typically created by the dedicated long-form content creator if your team is large enough to have one, but sometimes bloggers get involved too, as blog posts are good testing grounds for what performs well and&nbsp;is thus worth investing in.</p>
<h4>Types of Premium Assets to Create:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ebooks</strong> - An incredibly popular format, typically presented as a PDF and redeemed behind a form.</li>
<li><strong>Research Reports</strong> - Often presented as a gated PDF, or an ungated microsite.</li>
<li><strong>Webinars</strong> -&nbsp;Though time-intensive, webinars may feature a guest speaker who brings his or her own audience, which can help broaden the top of the funnel. Recorded versions of webinars can live behind <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/landing-page-examples-list">a landing page</a> to extend their lifespan.</li>
<li><strong>Tools &amp; Templates</strong> - Because they're extremely utilitarian in nature, tools and templates often prove to be incredible for long-term lead generation despite the upfront resource-investment required.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Visual Content</h3>
<p>Regardless of team size, it's common for visual content to be created by nearly everyone except, perhaps, the SEO specialist. While designers will do the bulk of the advanced creative work, bloggers, content creators, and social media managers will all get involved in lighter-weight design. Often, designers will also create templates for the writers on the team so they can be more independent -- like creating ebook templates so premium content can be laid out by just about anyone with an InDesign license.</p>
<h4>Types of Visual Content&nbsp;to Create:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Infographics</strong> - These can be embedded in blog posts, and shared on social media.</li>
<li><strong>SlideShares</strong> - Some social media managers focus a lot of energy on SlideShare as a channel, and create content exclusively for it.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Video</strong> - Whether for YouTube or a blog post embed, short videos for the sake of entertainment or education can help you diversify your content portfolio and improve your SEO.</li>
</ul>
<p>As your content marketing team grows, who creates what content becomes more specialized. But even as the largest team size, a lot of overlap exists between each role, and if it becomes less pronounced in the creation of the content, the opposite is true when it comes to distribution&nbsp;of the content.</p>
<h2>Step 5:&nbsp;Distributing Content</h2>
<p>Content distribution is what I consider the "marketing arm" of content marketing -- it's all about making sure the content you create gets found by the widest audience possible. This is&nbsp;the step a lot of content marketing teams skip, and I think I have a couple ideas why:</p>
<p><strong>Theory #1:</strong>&nbsp;The mere act of publishing content&nbsp;on a regular basis does a lot of the "distribution" work for you -- if you consider search engines a distribution channel. (Which I do, considering how often people use them to find content.) If you create content&nbsp;on a regular basis that's informed by <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-do-keyword-research-ht">keyword research</a> and optimized for search, Google takes care of the rest of your content distribution plan.</p>
<p><strong>Theory #2:</strong>&nbsp;A lot of the content marketing teams are made up of writers, rather than marketers. In my&nbsp;experience, writers are less interested in marketing their content, and more interested in just writing cool stuff. Same goes for designers -- often, they would rather spend time creating something beautiful and functional than marketing it.</p>
<p>Excuses aside, if a content marketing team is stopping short at content distribution, they're only doing half their job. It's content <strong>marketing</strong>, after all. So let's explore the most valuable channels you have at your disposal for distributing your content.</p>
<h3>Search Engines</h3>
<p>While it's true Google can do a lot of the distribution work for you, it hinges on making smart decisions with your content strategy. In other words, Google might distribute the content you create, but it might distribute it onto page 32. Your job is to make sure as much content as possible appears as high up on page one as possible. This means your writers should be working closely with your SEO specialist to determine what keywords to go after -- ideally a combination of long tail terms and head terms, at an appropriate level of competitiveness given your domain authority&nbsp;and&nbsp;how aggressively you can go after the terms. Of course, that content should also be optimized for on-page SEO to improve its chances of ranking highly.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Social Media</h3>
<p>The content you create should be shared on the social networks on which you're active. (And if you're not active on any, this is one of the reasons to get started.) Moreover, Google's algorithm considers social signals as one of its most important ranking factors -- socially shared content is a vote of approval, or at the very least importance, so it makes sense Google would consider it when deciding whether a post should rank well in organic search.</p>
<p>Your social media manager should also invest in growing your presence on social networks so that the content you share reaches an ever-growing audience. Consider the amplification of a piece of content shared on a Facebook page with 100,000 fans, versus 1,000 fans. The fans' networks work&nbsp;to help your content spread -- so the larger their networks, the better your content's distribution.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Email</h3>
<p>Email lists are marketer's most treasured assets -- and they're a smart way to drive traffic, conversions, and re-conversions on your content. Invest in growing your blog email subscription list for an incredibly valuable distribution arm alongside your sales lists.</p>
<h3>Social Ads &amp; PPC</h3>
<p>Digital advertising isn't inherently bad. In fact, targeted spend can help certain pieces of content get unprecedented amplification&nbsp;when you find an efficient CPC. If it seems like this feeds into the initial problem that drove you to content&nbsp;marketing in the first place, consider this use case for paid content distribution:</p>
<p>You've written a blog post that has wide appeal beyond just your target audience. You test promotion of that blog post via a paid Facebook ad, and find that the CPC is lower than your typical paid expenditures, and is driving 40% more site traffic than those typical expenditures. Even so, when you turn off that budget you lose that traffic ... right? Right. But you still received a huge influx of traffic that, even if none of them convert to leads, might have spurred either inbound links or social shares -- both of which will help bolster your SEO.</p>
<p>Promoting every piece of content with paid budget is untenable, but finding opportunities to do it efficiently may help you improve organically, too.</p>
<h2>Step 6: Measuring Your Content Marketing</h2>
<p>There are a host of metrics to look at when you have a robust analytics solution, but having too many goals to live up to tends to result in prioritization difficulties. I recommend content marketing teams have 2-3 metrics they measure, and perhaps some secondary metrics each sub-team can measure to help understand when there are different levers to pull. Here are my recommendations:</p>
<h3>Content Marketing Team</h3>
<p>Team-wide, the content marketing team should be focused on site traffic and leads. Leads because they are a top-of-the-funnel metric that can be tied to revenue, and traffic because&nbsp;more visitors mean more&nbsp;conversion opportunities.</p>
<h3>Blog</h3>
<p>As a major part of any website, and as an asset that lends itself to being a traffic lever, I recommend new blogs measure themselves on traffic and subscribers. As a blog matures and has grown traffic at a predictable rate, fold in a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/topic/lead-generation">lead generation</a> goal.</p>
<h3>Gated Assets</h3>
<p>As the assets that were created to generate leads, measure, well, the leads generated per offer. If you're in a very sales-focused company, opportunities influenced is another strong metric.</p>
<h3>Social Media</h3>
<p>Because the reach of a social network is so critical to the strength of social as a content distribution channel, measure the number of followers/fans on each of your most important social networks.</p>
<p>It's important to do regular reporting -- I recommend monthly -- on each of these metrics so you know where your growth levers lie. Regular reporting also helps you identify negative trends or plateaus&nbsp;early-on so you can address them before they become bigger issues. Most importantly, however, tracking the success of your initiatives makes it easy for you to repeat what works, eliminate what doesn't, and promote the success of your content&nbsp;marketing program so you can justify its expansion, and its seat at the modern marketing table.</p>
<p><em>Was this guide helpful? What other topics would you like to see us cover? Let us know in the comment section below.</em></p>
<p><em><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="register for INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </em></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcontent-marketing-strategy-guide&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Content MarketingDailyWeeklyTue, 21 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTceridon@hubspot.com (Corey Eridon)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide2015-07-21T12:00:00ZGrowing Your Publication's Email List (The Right Way)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/growing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/growing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/HoldingEmail.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of the most important assets for any&nbsp;publisher&nbsp;is their email list. It goes without saying that growing that list in a meaningful and relevant way can be powerful step toward&nbsp;monetizing audiences and selling digital products like subscriptions or event tickets.</p><p>&nbsp;<img alt="HoldingEmail.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Media/HoldingEmail.jpg" title="HoldingEmail.jpg" width="672"></p>
<p>One of the most important assets for any&nbsp;publisher&nbsp;is their email list. It goes without saying that growing that list in a meaningful and relevant way can be powerful step toward&nbsp;monetizing audiences and selling digital products like subscriptions or event tickets.</p>
<p>While <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32892/Why-Purchasing-Email-Lists-Is-Always-a-Bad-Idea.aspx">buying these lists</a>&nbsp;may seem like a simple and quick fix, taking the slightly longer route is well worth it in the end.&nbsp;Not only are&nbsp;organic&nbsp;subscribers free of charge, but they also tend to be a better fit for your content<span>—</span>thus converting more readily on&nbsp;future lead generation and sales efforts.</p>
<p>To help you start growing your database&nbsp;the right way, we've compiled&nbsp;a few tactics&nbsp;to consider.</p>
<h2>Offer a Reward for Signing Up</h2>
<p>Newer or more casual, infrequent readers may respond to an incentive structure that builds upon their existing desire for your content. If you're making the best use of&nbsp;website tracking&nbsp;to understand user behavior already, you can use this information to determine when a less frequent or newer reader might be at the point in their site visit where a little extra nudge could be all they need to sign up for a subscription.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Consider using dynamic&nbsp;content to offer first-time, or unconverted, visitors to your site a free issue of your publication, or an educational webinar that you hosted the previous month. Each of these rewards compliment and excite your readers'desire for relevant information, while allowing&nbsp;them to opt-in to continued, consistent future communication.</p>
<p>An important note. This tactic is usually only effective in the long-term if your incentive&nbsp;is well-aligned with the&nbsp;content you typically produce. You don’t want to collect emails based on, for instance, a free iPad. You'll likely attract&nbsp;readers who only sign-up for&nbsp;the iPad, and then&nbsp;unsubscribe from your email immediately because the content wasn’t actually of interest to them.</p>
<h2>Make Signing Up Easy</h2>
<p>Not every reader behaves the same way on your site or responds to the same calls-to-action. When you’re setting up ways to catch readers’ emails, think broadly and numerously, and always match the amount of information you ask for with the value of what you’re providing in return. For example,&nbsp;someone just looking to <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/personalized-publishing-newsletters">receive&nbsp;your newsletter</a> likely won't want to offer-up their job title or&nbsp;advertising&nbsp;budget. Asking for a name and email address&nbsp;will do for now, you can worry about learning the rest of that info later.</p>
<p>There are many ways you can capture reader information<span>—</span>newsletters, sponsored content, events, subscriptions, etc. You don’t need to choose just one of these, but&nbsp;avoid blasting&nbsp;your readers with too many CTAs to the point where they feel nagged to sign-up. There are many ways you can avoid over communicating to readers. For instance, if you’re working with dynamic website content you have the ability to show subscription requests to people who haven’t yet signed up, and then&nbsp;“turn off” those requests for those who have.</p>
<p>As long as you’re not bombarding your users and each sign-up mechanism <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/unify-your-publishing-database-to-turbocharge-your-roi">feeds into the same database</a> (which you manage, organize and clean regularly, of course), you should absolutely&nbsp;consider multiple first conversion points.</p>
<h2>Encourage Referrals</h2>
<p>While you should consistently delight all of your subscribers, being proactive with your happiest readers can prove beneficial for subscription growth. After all, your happiest and most fulfilled readers are the ones most likely to suggest your publication to others.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Why not ask these evangelists&nbsp;to refer your publication to their colleagues? You could incentivize them further by offering them a special code, or perhaps a discount on their subscription or a free piece of additional content.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Anything that helps them spread their happiness helps you.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Socialize Your Content</h2>
<p>Readers&nbsp;share content <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-best-big-social-networks-for-publishers">across&nbsp;social networks</a> to increase their professional credibility&nbsp;and indicate they’re in-the-know. How does this help your publication? A 2014 study found that, 31.2% of overall traffic to website was <a href="http://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-makes-nearly-third-referral-traffic-stats/124422/">driven by the top eight social media networks</a>, with Facebook and Pinterest&nbsp;leading this drive. Case-in-point, social referrals can seriously&nbsp;boost your site traffic.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of whether they’re casual readers or loyal ones, and regardless of whether your publication is subscription-based or free, making your content&nbsp;easily shareable will get it&nbsp;in front of fresh eyes, and usher people to your site (where you can then “make signing up easy” or “offer a reward for signing up”!).</p>
<p>Email list growth is an important step towards monetization&nbsp;for most publishers, but it can be a lot of work to make that growth happen. If you can put some of these steps in place and grow your email subscriptions in the right way, you’ll get a lot closer to a more streamlined process that will work with little effort on your part.</p>
<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d&amp;pid=53"><img alt="free guide: your database sucks" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ea6761ad-cc40-4e96-910e-a8067cdabe3d.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fgrowing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">MediaTue, 21 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTcbeale@hubspot.com (Corey Beale)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/growing-your-publications-email-list-the-right-way2015-07-21T11:00:00ZThe Pros and Cons of Popular Ecommerce Payment Optionshttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pros-cons-popular-ecommerce-payment-options
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pros-cons-popular-ecommerce-payment-options" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/payment_options_1.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>There are a few payment options that come to mind immediately when you consider the various possibilities for your ecommerce site. The first, of course, is the credit or debit card. Next is almost invariably PayPal. If you include these options on your ecommerce website, then you’re probably in good shape. Most consumers who are comfy enough to shop online will be happy enough with these choices.</p><p><img alt="payment_options_1.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/payment_options_1.jpg" title="payment_options_1.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>There are a few payment options that come to mind immediately when you consider the various possibilities for your ecommerce site. The first, of course, is the credit or debit card. Next is almost invariably PayPal. If you include these options on your ecommerce website, then you’re probably in good shape. Most consumers who are comfy enough to shop online will be happy enough with these choices.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in offering more possibilities for savvy buyers, there are other—possibly newer—options available. Choosing between the latest and greatest isn’t always easy, because who’s to say what will stick around and what won’t? To help you choose, we broke down some of the pros and cons.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>BitCoin</h2>
<p>Believe it or not, <a href="/ecommerce/bitcoin-ecommerce-alternative-currencies">BitCoin is still a thing</a>, and people still accept this digital currency. The beauty of BitCoin (and more often the problem) is that the value never really stays current. Right now, one BitCoin is worth about $240, but it’s shot as high as $1,000 per BitCoin. If you accept this payment, there’s a chance those BitCoins could skyrocket in value again…or they could go the other way.</p>
<p>There’s also the matter of your digital wallet and how you have to watch it like a hawk. If your hard drive craps out or someone steals it, the BitCoins are gone—just like if you lose your physical wallet filled with cash. They’re also not as secure as they once were. At one point, no one could hack the digital wallet. Now they’re hackable. It’s just something to keep in mind.</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.google.com/wallet/">Google Wallet</a></h2>
<p>With Google Wallet, consumers sign up through their Google+ accounts, enter payment information there—much like PayPal, really—and then never need to pull out the credit card again.</p>
<p>Because Google keeps all the information, there really aren’t any security concerns on your part. It’s all up to Google to keep that information safe. As long as your customers can keep their login information secure, they don’t need to worry about anyone gaining access to their financial information.</p>
<h2><a href="https://payments.amazon.com/home">Amazon Payments</a></h2>
<p>A lot of people have Amazon accounts, whether they’ll admit it or not. That name recognition goes a long way toward convincing buyers they can trust you with their financial information. The fees for using them as a third-party payment option are fairly low, too. In all, it’s not a bad plan.</p>
<p>The only problem is, Amazon is already a world-famous brand name. Do you want to confuse your buyers or diminish your own brand in any way by introducing the Amazon name into your transaction? You definitely want to make sure your company is getting the credit for the products you sell, so bringing in such a well-known name could muddy the water.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.intuit.com">Intuit</a></h2>
<p>If you use QuickBooks to keep your accounts, then Intuit will be your new best friend. Of all the payment options, this one integrates with the bookkeeping software the best. The program also transfers money directly to your business bank account, so there’s not a lot of finagling needed on your end.</p>
<p>Intuit does make accepting credit cards easy, but you’ll pay the price, with a rate of 3.25% on each transaction.</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.authorize.net">Authorize.net</a></h2>
<p>For a one-stop shop, Authorize.net seems to be the way to go. You can process credit and debit cards, e-checks, PayPal, and even Apple Pay payments. You’ll have to make sure you have all the software and applications necessary to run the program, but with its wide variety, this one looks like a winner.</p>
<p>There is a down side, of course. Some of the features only work within iOS 8 apps—specifically Apple Pay. Then, there’s the cost. With a start-up fee, monthly fee, and fees on transactions, it’s not the cheapest of the available solutions, but it’s also not the most expensive. Because it offers just about everything, you may find the cost a necessary evil.</p>
<h2><a href="https://stripe.com">Stripe</a></h2>
<p>Stripe is one of the fastest growing of the payment options, mostly because it’s considered cool. You can customize the design, integrate with mobile devices, and support various currencies.</p>
<p>While there aren’t any real down sides to the program, many might feel the flashiness just takes away from the real needs. If your business requires the many options Stripe offers, however, you’ll find the flash more than welcome.</p>
<p>This isn’t even close to a full list of the options available, but these are probably the most popular of the choices available at the moment. If these won’t meet your needs, you can also look into <a href="http://www.bluepay.com">BluePay</a>, <a href="http://paysimple.com">PaySimple</a>, <a href="https://www.2checkout.com">2Checkout</a>, <a href="https://masterpass.com">Masterpass</a>, <a href="https://checkout.visa.com/index.jsp?country=US&amp;locale=en-US">Visa Checkout</a>, and <a href="https://www.dwolla.com">Dwolla</a>. The most important thing is that you find a payment option that your customers love.</p>
<p>What is your favorite pay portal? Are there pros and cons to these that we didn’t list?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a&amp;pid=53"><img alt="get a free HubSpot trial for ecommerce" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/ebe391ae-f4bd-428d-83ae-dd6a06f3972a.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fpros-cons-popular-ecommerce-payment-options&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceTue, 21 Jul 2015 11:00:00 GMTckeegan@hubspot.com (Charlie Keegan)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pros-cons-popular-ecommerce-payment-options2015-07-21T11:00:00ZHow to Plan, Create, and Promote Your Infographics [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-plan-create-and-promote-your-infographics-infographic
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-plan-create-and-promote-your-infographics-infographic" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Venngage_blog_header.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>It's no secret that infographics serve as an interesting way to serve up information in a visually appealing way. But for those of us that lack design skills, the&nbsp;creation process can seem a little intimidating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Where do you start? What data should be represented? Which colors work best? How&nbsp;should it be formatted?</p><p><img alt="How to Create &amp; Use Beautiful Infographics in Your Marketing" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Venngage_blog_header.png" style="width: 761px;" title="Venngage_blog_header.png" width="761"></p>
<p>It's no secret that infographics serve as an interesting way to serve up information in a visually appealing way. But for those of us that lack design skills, the&nbsp;creation process can seem a little intimidating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Where do you start? What data should be represented? Which colors work best? How&nbsp;should it be formatted?</p>
<p class="p1">The good news is, you're not alone in this. The better news is, creating beautiful infographics and using them in your inbound marketing strategy is actually easier than you think.</p>
<p class="p1">To walk you through it, HubSpot and&nbsp;<a href="https://venngage.com/?utm_campaign=hubspot-ebook-blog">Venngage</a>,&nbsp;<span>a </span><a href="https://venngage.com/?utm_campaign=hubspot-ebook-blog">free infographic maker</a>,&nbsp;have paired&nbsp;up to bring you this free ebook on <em><a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-create-beautiful-infographics">How to Create &amp; Use Beautiful Infographics in Your Marketing.</a>&nbsp;</em></p>
<strong>What You'll Learn:</strong>
<ul>
<li>How to create an&nbsp;infographic</li>
<li>Data-backed strategies for infographic promotion</li>
</ul>
<h4>Ready to get started? <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-create-beautiful-infographics">Click here to download the free&nbsp;ebook.</a></h4>
<p>And for a preview of what you can expect to learn, check out this awesome infographic ... on creating awesome infographics:</p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fhow-to-create-infographics-ebook&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2FHUBSPOT_E_BOOK_HIGH_RES.png&amp;description=How%20to%20Plan%2C%20Create%2C%20and%20Promote%20Your%20Infographics%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p><img alt="HubSpot-How-to-Create-Infographics-Ebook" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/HUBSPOT_E_BOOK_HIGH_RES.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" title="HUBSPOT_EBOOK_FINAL_1.png"></p>
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<p><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-1ac461a7-e70b-41e6-96d7-b635f454fbe7"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=1ac461a7-e70b-41e6-96d7-b635f454fbe7&amp;pid=53"><img alt="how to create beautiful infographics" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/1ac461a7-e70b-41e6-96d7-b635f454fbe7.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fhow-to-plan-create-and-promote-your-infographics-infographic&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">DesignContent MarketingDailyTue, 21 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTcwhite@hubspot.com (Christine White)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-plan-create-and-promote-your-infographics-infographic2015-07-21T10:00:00ZHow to Master Content Marketing on LinkedInhttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/linkedin-content-marketing
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<p>There are a few different avenues for sharing information on LinkedIn, but which one is the <em>best</em> method? And what if you're not ready to invest in paid advertising? There has to be another option, right?</p>
<p>The good news is that there is another option. In fact, there are a couple of ways that marketers can leverage LinkedIn's platform for content distribution without having to pay for it.</p><p><img alt="LinkedIn-Content-Marketing-Strategy.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/LinkedIn-Content-Marketing-Strategy.jpg" title="LinkedIn-Content-Marketing-Strategy.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>There are a few different avenues for sharing information on LinkedIn, but which one is the <em>best</em> method? And what if you're not ready to invest in paid advertising? There has to be another option, right?</p>
<p>The good news is that there is another option. In fact, there are a couple of ways that marketers can leverage LinkedIn's platform for content distribution without having to pay for it.</p>
<p>Looking to send out short, digestible content? Engage with a status update.</p>
<p>Have something long and poignant to say? Publish an article.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To help you get a better handle on where and how to execute a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide">content marketing strategy</a> on LinkedIn, keep reading. I've covered everything you need to know from tips on content you should (and shouldn't) share to how to determine the right frequency for posting.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Where to&nbsp;Distribute Your Content on LinkedIn</h2>
<h3>1) Status Updates</h3>
<p>One of LinkedIn's most underutilized features is the “LinkedIn Status Update” (also called your “Network Update”) in your LinkedIn Profile. This is one of the best ways to stay in front of your target audience on a consistent basis. And when used correctly, these little messages pack a big punch.<br> <br> Your status update “block” is a white box located just below your picture on your homepage. Whenever you share an update, your message is then broadcast to all of your network&nbsp;connections.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="LinkedInStatus.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/LinkedInStatus.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="LinkedInStatus.jpg" width="468"></p>
<p>You can also control the visibility of your posts before sharing. This means that you can pick and choose which posts you want to share with everyone, share with just your connections, or share with both everyone and your Twitter network.</p>
<p><img alt="LinkedInStatus2.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/LinkedInStatus2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="LinkedInStatus2.jpg" width="468"></p>
<p>If someone from your network "likes" one of your updates, it will then be shared with their network. The more likes your post earns, the more exposure you receive.</p>
<p>And while updates serve as a great place to share your thoughts, linking in a blog post or interesting website will help you to provide an even richer source of insight.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>4 Tips for Sharing Updates on LinkedIn&nbsp;</h4>
<ol>
<li><strong>Share links to interesting articles, websites or videos.&nbsp;</strong>Use words that grab the readers and encourage them to click the link.</li>
<li><strong>Attach a document to your status update.&nbsp;</strong>Your audience might appreciate receiving checklists, white papers, or case studies. Job seekers, this is a great place for your resume.</li>
<li><strong>Mention a person or situation that might be helpful to some of your connections.&nbsp;</strong><span></span>For instance,&nbsp;“I just met with @AlexPirouz from @Linkfluencer and found out they've just won the readers choice award from Anthill Magazine.”&nbsp;The “@” before an individual or company name allows the reader to click through to that person’s LinkedIn profile or company page.</li>
<li><strong>Talk about an event you are attending or have attended.&nbsp;</strong>This might encourage involvement and/or questions about what you learned there.</li>
</ol>
<h4>5 Things You Should Avoid When Sharing Updates on LinkedIn</h4>
<ol>
<li><strong>&nbsp;Talking about what you had for&nbsp;breakfast (or your cat). </strong>LinkedIn is a <em>professional</em> network. Before you post, make sure that what you're sharing is relevant to your audience and provides value. While your pancakes this morning may have been delicious, this isn't the place for it.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li><strong>Being a spammer.&nbsp;</strong>While it may be acceptable to post 20 times a day on Twitter, the landscape of LinkedIn is a little different. To avoid coming off as spammy, try to limit your updates to no more than a couple times per day.</li>
<li><strong>Talking about&nbsp;sensitive topics.&nbsp;</strong><span></span>I am too embarrassed to even think about, let alone share, some of the items I see posted as status updates. If your mother wouldn’t want you talking about it, don’t include it in your status.</li>
<li><strong>Continually pitching products and services.&nbsp;</strong>This takes people back to the days of big newspaper ads and screaming radio messages. This is not the purpose of <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33415/The-Social-Media-Publishing-Schedule-Every-Marketer-Needs-Template.aspx">social media</a>, especially LinkedIn.</li>
<li><strong> &nbsp;Don’t bother posting when no one’s looking.</strong> The update you posted at 11:30 p.m. on Friday probably won’t get much traction. Try to align your posting schedule with the business hours in which people in your industry operate. Of course, this varies if you have a global audience.</li>
</ol>
<h3>2) Long-Form Publishing</h3>
<p>Another&nbsp;powerful way to distribute content on LinkedIn is through the&nbsp;publishing platform. With all&nbsp;<span>345 million members now having access&nbsp;to the platform, it serves as a great&nbsp;</span>opportunity to expand your reach in a major way.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="LongFormPublishing.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/LongFormPublishing.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="LongFormPublishing.jpg" width="468"></p>
<p>I was first made aware of this feature when a friend of mine posted an update on Facebook mentioning how his recent article on LinkedIn managed to achieve over 6000 views and 550+ shares in little over 10 hours. I was intrigued, so I decided to conduct an investigation to see how it all worked.<br> <br>I decided to test it out by publishing one of my articles, "5 Things All Great Leaders Have In Common." Given that it was my first time publishing on the platform, I had no idea what to expect. However, what happened next totally blew me away ...</p>
<p>Within a matter of minutes I started receiving invitation requests and messages on LinkedIn from members who had came across my article.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Within a matter of hours the article had gone viral -- achieving over 70K views, 11K+ shares, and close to 500 comments. Over the years, I have written hundreds of business articles but none of them had achieved the exposure and interaction that this one did.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="LinkedInPublishing.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/LinkedInPublishing.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="LinkedInPublishing.jpg" width="468"><br> In addition to the exposure, I also managed to secure a few speaking engagements and an opportunity to coach clients for our business advisory firm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>And while the article continued to gain traction as time went on, I couldn't help but think that it was too good to be true. Unable to shake this thought, I decided to publish a few more articles over the coming weeks. Whilst none of them achieved the level of exposure my first article received, each article has now reached 10k+ views, 1000+ shares and 100+ comments on average.</p>
<p>If my success story wasn't enough to sell you on the value of this platform, maybe the following benefits will.</p>
<h4>3 Key&nbsp;Benefits of LinkedIn Publishing&nbsp;</h4>
<ol>
<li><strong>Targeted audience. </strong>Considering a majority of your connections&nbsp;are like-minded professionals, it's easy select topics that will resonate.&nbsp;This type of shared interest provides an opportunity to create a two-way dialogue where everyone is sharing their expertise and strengthening their relationships.</li>
<li><strong>More exposure.</strong>&nbsp;Every post you write and publish prompts a notification for your connections. This is a great way for you to showcase your thought leadership on your chosen topic and add value to those within your network.</li>
<li><strong>Increased following.&nbsp;</strong>If your connections like your content enough to like it or share it, that can open doors to a whole new audience. And if your connection's network sees your posts and finds value, there's a chance they will follow you to keep up with your contributions.</li>
</ol>
<h4>4 Steps for&nbsp;Publishing on LinkedIn&nbsp;</h4>
<ol>
<li><strong>Define your purpose.</strong>&nbsp;What is your outcome in publishing content on LinkedIn?&nbsp;Who is the main target market you’re writing the content for?&nbsp;What are the main challenges they face within their role or industry?&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Brainstorm topics.</strong> Once you have a clear understanding of why you're writing the content (and who you're writing it for), try to come up with a handful of working titles based on your audience's challenges.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Narrow your focus. </strong>Once you've created a backlog of ideas, it's time to hone in on one. Select the one that you think is most relevant to your audience and get writing. If you need guidance, refer to <a href="https://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/47537/~/tips-for-writing-long-form-posts-on-linkedin">this resource from LinkedIn</a> for tips on how to write effective long-form content.</li>
<li><strong>Select an image. </strong>Pick out a compelling cover image to accompany your post. (If you're stumped for an image, check out these <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-stock-photos">free stock photos sites</a>.)</li>
</ol>
<h2>How to Execute a Content Marketing Strategy on LinkedIn</h2>
<p>Now that we have discussed the two main strategies you can use to distribute your content on LinkedIn, let’s discuss best practices for executing that content. Although each industry is different, keep in mind that the right frequency can make a difference.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Step 1: Plan Your Content in Advance</h3>
<p>In order to achieve optimal results, you need to plan the content you are going to share. Here are some tips for how to plan more effectively:</p>
<ol>
<li>Start by taking some time to&nbsp;<span>find articles you want to share, status updates you want to post, or infographics that are relevant to your industry.</span></li>
<li>Organize the content on a calendar and decide when you want to share them. (<a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/social-media-content-calendar">Click here to access HubSpot's free social media content calendar template</a>.)</li>
<li>Leverage software -- like <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/products/social-inbox">HubSpot's Social Publishing App</a> -- to schedule your content in advance.</li>
</ol>
<p>When you have a plan, you not only save time, but you are able to focus your energy on finding the right content&nbsp;for your audience.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Step 2: Determine Your Frequency Strategy</h3>
<p>When sharing content, the goal is to identify a frequency that allows you to stay top-of-mind without overwhelming your audience. To help you&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;this balance, here are the publishing guidelines I follow:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Status Updates:</strong>&nbsp;2-3 times a day.</li>
<li><strong>Long Form Publishing:&nbsp;</strong>1-2&nbsp;times a week.</li>
</ul>
<p>Keep in mind that every industry is different. While this works for me, you may need to modify this schedule as you see fit.</p>
<h3>Step 3: Follow Up With Generated Activity</h3>
<p>If your content marketing efforts are working, you're going to notice a spike in your activity. This could be anything from increased views, connection requests, or even direct messages from viewers.</p>
<p>With that said, now is the time to strike up a conversation. If people are viewing your <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23454/The-Ultimate-Cheat-Sheet-for-Mastering-LinkedIn.aspx">LinkedIn profile</a> or requesting to connect, consider striking up a dialogue with them.&nbsp;By uncovering what interested them about your profile, you can then begin to uncover potential opportunities for collaboration.</p>
<p><em> How have you used content marketing in your LinkedIn lead generation efforts? Let me know in the comment section below.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><strong><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> <br></strong></p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Flinkedin-content-marketing&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Social MediaContent MarketingDailyMon, 20 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMThttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/linkedin-content-marketing2015-07-20T16:00:00ZAlex PirouzToday’s Biggest Content Marketing Challenge (And How to Overcome It)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-challenge
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<p>Since 2010, the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs have teamed up to produce annual benchmark reports that reveal the industry-wide pulse on <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide">content marketing</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="content_marketing_banner.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/content_marketing_banner.jpg" title="content_marketing_banner.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>Since 2010, the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs have teamed up to produce annual benchmark reports that reveal the industry-wide pulse on <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-strategy-guide">content marketing</a>.</p>
<p>In 2015, <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2015_B2B_Research.pdf">54% of B2B marketers</a> and <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2015_B2C_Research.pdf">50% of B2C marketers</a> cited “producing engaging content” as a top challenge. For B2B marketers, it was the most commonly cited challenge. For B2C, it was second.</p>
<p>The funny thing is that this problem isn’t new. If we go back to the first benchmark report from CMI and MarketingProfs in <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2010/09/b2b-content-marketing/">2010</a>, we find the exact same results. Again, “producing engaging content” is cited as a challenge more frequently than issues like producing enough content, budget limitations, and executive buy-in. Not only is this an old problem, but also a consistent problem. Check out the top challenges from the reports in <a href="http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2011/6539/2012-content-marketing-benchmarks-budgets-and-trends">2012</a>, <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/b2bresearch2013cmi-121023151728-phpapp01-1.pdf">2013</a> and <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B2B_Research_2014_CMI.pdf">2014</a>.</p>
<p><img alt="cmi_2010_challenges" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/cmi_2010_challenges.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p>Despite the fact that overall content marketing adoption, production and budgets have increased significantly since 2010, relatively little progress has been made in quality; marketers are still struggling to produce the type of content that engages their audiences.</p>
<h2>Why Is This Really a Problem?</h2>
<p>There’s a common thread in this content marketing saga: nearly all organizations are creating content, but less than half are confident in their abilities to create content that engages.</p>
<p>It’s not just another content marketing problem; it’s <em>the </em>content marketing problem. Think about it. If your content sufficiently engages your audience, it’s much easier to get C-Level buy-in. It’s also much easier to garner greater budgetary support (How many times have you heard your boss say “We have endless budget for <em>strategies</em> <em>that</em> <em>work.</em>”?). &nbsp;Other common issues like producing enough content and producing a variety of content simply fall by the wayside when everything you do is working as it should.</p>
<p>Content marketing is a quality game, not a quantity game. If you create the type of content that truly engages your audience, the proof will be in the results.</p>
<h2>How to Create Content That Truly Engages</h2>
<p>The question becomes, then, how do you create engaging content? If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. But it’s not; hence, the history of widespread under performance.</p>
<p>The secret is in the research. It’s long been known that “publish and pray” strategy of the past simply doesn’t cut it anymore, but how many content marketers <em>really know </em>all the different research tools and tactics that can be used to ensure content marketing success? And how many content marketers are honestly willing to put in the heavy legwork up front to guarantee that their content hits the bulls eye?</p>
<p>The solution I’m proposing for you today will allow you to take the critical first steps towards freeing your organization from the weight of content marketing failure by ensuring that everything you create resonates with your target audiences.</p>
<h2>Audience, Competitive, Media and Trends Research</h2>
<p>Content marketers are still marketers, and due diligence is an essential part of the job. As with any marketing campaign, understanding <strong>who</strong> your audience is, <strong>what</strong> they’re looking for, <strong>where</strong> to find them, and <strong>how</strong> to deliver the most effective message is essential to <em>intentional </em>success. Sure, it’s possible to get lucky from time to time without research, but repeatable success isn’t possible without intimately understanding the components of the model below.</p>
<p><img alt="Content_Marketing_Research" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/465783/Content_Marketing_Research.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></p>
<p><strong>1) Audience research</strong> is the key to understanding the buying behaviors of your prospects. It’s the foundation for creating buyer personas and journey maps, as well as connecting pain points to purchasing considerations. In the online space, keyword research can provide insights into a variety of critical audience behaviors, but don’t stop there. Use web analytics to understand how your audience interacts with your website and where improvements can be made. Interviews with subject matter experts and customers will also help you fill in the blanks when pointed questions are used to reveal telling first-hand experience that can be worked into your marketing collateral.</p>
<p><strong>2) Trends research</strong> is more or less exactly what it sounds like: an analysis of topical trends in your space. When done correctly, this research will show pathways to success by finding angles and opportunities for your organization to make its voice heard in the ongoing dialogue with prospects and customers. Tools like <a href="https://www.google.com/trends/">Google Trends</a> and <a href="http://buzzsumo.com/">BuzzSumo</a> will allow you to identify popular articles, trending topics, compelling questions, industry influencers and commonly cited resources in your space.</p>
<p><strong>3) Media research </strong>will allow you to determine the top online media outlets and influencers in your space, an essential first step for your building your promotion plan. Creating a profile for your target media outlets (as well as your target audiences) will better inform your subsequent content creation efforts, too. Tools like <a href="https://followerwonk.com/">Followerwonk</a>, <a href="http://www.cision.com/us/">Cision</a> and <a href="http://anewstip.com/">Anewstip</a> will help you analyze industry publications, subject matter experts, influencers and social engagement metrics to glean insights for your own content marketing efforts.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4) Competitive research </strong>is a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data to understand the story each competitor tells and then identify how those stories resonate with your target audience. By picking up on your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be able to identify opportunities and threats for your own organization. Content inventories, local SEO evaluations and site audits will help you identify new middle- and bottom-of-the-funnel opportunities for content. Additionally, tools like <a href="http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/">Screaming Frog</a>, <a href="http://www.semrush.com/">SEMrush</a> and <a href="https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner">Google’s Keyword Planner</a> will allow you to find keyword gap opportunities that competitors aren’t taking advantage of. &nbsp;</p>
<h2>Build a Research-Backed Foundation for All Your Content Marketing Efforts</h2>
<p>The short of it is this: most content marketers struggle to create content that’s engaging. However, by building a solid foundation of research from which to launch all your content marketing campaigns, you can mitigate, if not eliminate, the risk of failure entirely.</p>
<p>There are countless research tools and tactics that can be used to build the audience, trends, media and competitive assessments that will guide your content marketing efforts far into the future. Relevance has curated 19 of the most effective tactics and 12 of the best tools for you in our new <a href="http://connect.relevance.com/content-marketing-research-quick-guide">Quick Guide for Content Marketing Research</a>, a short read that you can print out and keep right at your desk.</p>
<p>Regardless of your content marketing KPIs, the consequences of under performance&nbsp;are the same across the board: wasted time and wasted budget. With the right research, you can rest assured that you’ll be using your time and money wisely. The four-pronged framework provided in the guide is an excellent place for all content marketers to start.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-f85f8299-3230-4853-a360-b53e91aeb54c"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=f85f8299-3230-4853-a360-b53e91aeb54c&amp;pid=53"><img alt="New Call-to-action" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/f85f8299-3230-4853-a360-b53e91aeb54c.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fcontent-marketing-challenge&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Content MarketingMon, 20 Jul 2015 15:00:00 GMTeric.murphy@relevance.com (Eric Murphy)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing-challenge2015-07-20T15:00:00ZHow to Use Analytics to Get a Promotion: 10 Metrics That'll Help Your Causehttp://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/promotion-metrics
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<p></p>
<p><span>The sad truth is this: You can work really hard, check all the boxes, come in early and stay late, and still not earn the promotion you want. What's missing? What do you need to do to actually show your boss you've earned&nbsp;it?</span></p>
<p>An important part of justifying a promotion is showing your value through metrics. If you can tell a story to your boss using data -- your value in leads or revenue generated for the company -- then you'll make a much more compelling case for why you deserve a promotion.</p><p><img alt="get-promotion.jpeg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/get-promotion.jpeg" title="get-promotion.jpeg" width="761"></p>
<p><span>The sad truth is this: You can work really hard, check all the boxes, come in early and stay late, and still not earn the promotion you want. What's missing? What do you need to do to actually show your boss you've earned&nbsp;it?</span></p>
<p>An important part of justifying a promotion is showing your value through metrics. If you can tell a story to your boss using data -- your value in leads or revenue generated for the company -- then you'll make a much more compelling case for why you deserve a promotion.</p>
<p>Let's look at which&nbsp;metrics can help you show your work in certain areas. (For all you HubSpot customers, we'll&nbsp;go over how to find them in HubSpot, too.)</p>
<h2>1) Track Lead Sources</h2>
<p>Once&nbsp;a marketer creates a piece of content, their work isn't done. The next step is promoting that piece of content on&nbsp;various channels to drive leads for their sales team. The burning question is: Where's the best place or places to promote the content?</p>
<p>Tracking the original source that your leads come from is key in figuring out your most effective promotion channels --&nbsp;whether it's social media, email marketing, organic search, or something else.</p>
<p>As a marketer, to show you've earned a promotion,&nbsp;you need to show your boss that you're hitting your lead generation goals. These goals are what drives your business. After you generate leads, they go to the sales team and ultimately turn into revenue. Showing you're consistently hitting your lead goals will be important when you make your case.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>In your Sources report, you'll&nbsp;see how many leads you are generating as a result of different channels. Use this to make sure you are on track to hitting your goals.</p>
<div>
<img alt="sources" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-666967173-png/assets/hubspot.com/product_pages/spotlight/analytics/Understand_Web_Traffic.png?t=1435169662703" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
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<h2>2) Use Tracking URLs</h2>
<p>Depending on the software you use, you may not always have built-in tracking for your content. Even if you do, there are times when you&nbsp;need to&nbsp;work on an offline campaign --&nbsp;like&nbsp;a tradeshow -- where it isn't as easy to track contacts you met who then visited&nbsp;your&nbsp;website.</p>
<p>This is where tracking URLs come in.&nbsp;Tracking URLs allow you to differentiate how people found your website based on UTM parameters in the URL. These parameters can show what channel a contact came from as well as what campaign they were a part of. (Learn more about them <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-are-utm-tracking-codes-ht">in this blog post</a>.)</p>
<p>An experienced marketer understands the impact that offline and online campaigns have on their goals. It isn't always easy to track everything that happens offline, but it is possible. If you&nbsp;can&nbsp;show the impact of your online and offline campaigns -- and why you are investing time and resources in each of them -- it'll showcase your ability to&nbsp;use your time and resources properly.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go to&nbsp;"Reports Home" and select <a href="http://help.hubspot.com/articles/KCS_Article/Settings/How-do-I-create-a-tracking-URL">Tracking URL Builder</a> on the right-hand side. There, you can create as many tracking URLs as you'd like. (Alternatively, you can&nbsp;create them with <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en">Google's Tracking URL Builder</a>.)</p>
<div>
<img alt="tracking_url" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/tracking_url-2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
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<h2>3) Score Your Leads</h2>
<p>Not all leads are treated equally. Some are much more likely to close than others. You can qualify your leads based on whether or not they share similarities with other leads that have closed into customers -- a process we call lead scoring. Lead scoring allows you to give each lead in your database a score based on certain characteristics. For example, if you know a certain title or industry is more likely to close, you can give your leads five points. If you know that contacts with&nbsp;<em>.edu</em> email addresses&nbsp;are less likely to close, you can subtract points from your leads score for those contacts.</p>
<p>The best thing about lead scoring? You can pass along that information to your sales team to help them prioritize their time and get in touch with the leads that are more likely to close. Not only does this drive higher revenue for your company, but this promotes sales and marketing alignment. Driving revenue and alignment among&nbsp;departments is a great reason to give a promotion.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go into "Contacts Settings." Click on "Custom Lead Scoring" and you'll see the option to create your lead scoring criteria.</p>
<div>
<img alt="lead score" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-591316425-png/assets/hubspot.com/product_pages/spotlight/contacts/Segment_Database.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
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<h2>4) Report on Your Revenue</h2>
<p>Marketers are responsible for generating leads for their sales team. But in order to figure out whether or not these are quality leads, a marketer needs to understand how the leads are impacting the company’s bottom line. After all, you can generate thousands and thousands of leads, but if the majority of them don’t close, something needs to change in your marketing.</p>
<p>That's where revenue reporting comes in. Revenue reporting allows you to tie revenue numbers back to the promotional channels or marketing activities that you are working on. For example, you can tie revenue back to a piece of content or a marketing channel.</p>
<p>Marketers are often measured based on lead generation. But, ultimately, those leads turn into revenue for a business. Take that extra step by showing your boss how your work affects revenue for the company.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go to&nbsp;"Reports Home" and select a Contacts or Companies Report. (For more details on how to run a report like this, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/customers/2015-revenue-reporting">see this blog post</a>.)</p>
<div>
<img alt="revenue report" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-2315243728-png/analytics_revenuebysource.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
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<h2>5) Identify the Content that Drives Conversions</h2>
<p>When deciding what content to prioritize, it's important to look at more than just the views of content. You need to figure out which content drives your conversions -- and you can do that by looking at your attribution reports.</p>
<p>Attribution reports show you which&nbsp;content or marketing channels drive conversions throughout your entire funnel. If you want to see the content that drives lead conversions, you can do that. If you want to see the content that drives MQL conversions, you can do that, too.</p>
<p>Show attribution reports to your boss to show her that you know how to prioritize what you and your team focuses on.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go to "Reports Home" and select "Create a new report." Choose "Attribution Report." (For more details on how to run a report like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/customers/blog-leads-reporting">read this blog post</a>.)</p>
<div>
<img alt="attribution report" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/53/file-1485875828-png/Pages_Attribution_Reports-2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
</div>
<h2>6) Don't Treat All Leads Equally</h2>
<p>Lead Scoring will help you see what leads are the most qualified. But once you have that subset of leads vs. marketing qualified leads vs. leads that are not qualified, you need to strategically think about how to nurture them differently. Most of your leads will still need to be nurtured into a more qualified stage whereas your marketing qualified leads need to be nurtured with more product-centric information.</p>
<p>Figuring out a way to scale how you nurture your leads and marketing qualified leads is a great way to show you deserve a promotion. If you're going to move up in your career, you need to understand how to scale the work you are doing. That may mean setting up a process or automated workflow to nurture your leads or marketing qualified leads. Or, it may mean another way that you are achieving the same or better results with less time and effort put into it. Think about ways that you can scale your work to earn that next promotion.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>As soon as you log into HubSpot, you'll&nbsp;see the number of leads and marketing qualified leads you have right&nbsp;on the dashboard.</p>
<div>
<img alt="contacts" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/contacts-3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
</div>
<h2>7) See How Your Blog Subscribers Grow Over Time</h2>
<p>When we think about the important blog metrics, we often think about the number of visits coming to our blog posts and the number of leads generated. However, blog subscribers is a key metric that should not be overlooked. Without blog subscribers, a lot is missing: You have less visits to your content; you have a smaller chance of your regular readers promoting your content on social channels; and it's ultimately harder to grow your blog.</p>
<p>Focusing on growing your blog subscribers is a great way to show how you are thinking long-term about the success of your blog. While you are most likely working on projects to impact the blog short-term,&nbsp;having the foresight to know what needs to be done to make your blog successful in the future is key and deserving of a promotion.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go to the blog dashboard. Here, you can toggle the dashboard from views to subscribers (by clicking "Subscribers" in the top right-hand corner of the dashboard) so you can&nbsp;see how you're tracking&nbsp;against the previous month's blog subscribers.</p>
<div>
<img alt="blog_subscribers" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/blog_subscribers-3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
</div>
<h2>8) Understand What External Content Drives&nbsp;Conversions</h2>
<p>Some attribution reports will help you&nbsp;analyze which pieces of content on your website is driving conversions. With others you can see what marketing channels are driving conversions to your website. But there's also a third option: understanding what external content drives conversions to your website. This is key to see what external relationships should be nurtured and what websites may be linking to your content.</p>
<p>Understanding the importance of external content and relationships in addition to the content on your own website can help you strengthen your case for&nbsp;getting a promotion. It showcases a deep knowledge of the industry and whom you should make connections with. It also shows what relationships you may want your PR team to focus on. This can make a huge difference between a good marketer and a great marketer.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>You can follow the same steps from the <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/customers/blog-leads-reporting">this blog post</a>&nbsp;on running reports for your blog leads (mentioned in #5) -- except&nbsp;this time, select "By referrer" and "All interactions" when you go into your Attribution Report options.</p>
<div>
<img alt="external_sources" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/external_sources.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669">
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<h2>9) Lead-to-Customer Conversion Rates</h2>
<p>One of the most important metrics for any marketer is the lead-to-customer conversion rate. This number shows whether you're&nbsp;generating the right amount of leads in comparison to how many customers you are closing. If your lead-to-customer conversion rate is extremely low, it's a good indication that you aren't generating high quality leads and may need to adjust your strategy. You should look at this metric as a whole but also broken down by channel and specific pieces of content.</p>
<p>Why is this important for showing you deserve a promotion? It helps your boss understand how you're approaching your marketing strategy -- specifically, by showing which channels and pieces of content have high lead-to-customer conversion rates.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p>Go to your&nbsp;Sources report to see the lead to customer conversion rate by different marketing channels.</p>
<div>
<img alt="contact_to_customer_conversion" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/contact_to_customer_conversion.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 669px;" width="669">
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<h2>10) Track Behavior On Your Website</h2>
<p>When a lead comes to your website, you can&nbsp;see which pages they visit&nbsp;and which forms they fill out. But what about what links they click? And how they get from one page to another?</p>
<p>In addition to the information your leads provide to you on forms, you also want to take into account behavioral actions they take on your website. Even though they aren't giving you this information, this is important to understand how they are interacting with your website.</p>
<p>Segmenting based on behavior on your website, not just information on a form shows that&nbsp;you approach your marketing in a unique way. While most marketers rely on the information that is given to them in forms, you show you can take it to the next level by combining with other types of data. Your boss will recognize your ability to think outside of the box, experiment, and&nbsp;analyze data.</p>
<h4>To do this in HubSpot:</h4>
<p><a href="https://app.hubspot.com/l/events-bookmarklet">Install our Events Bookmarklet</a>,&nbsp;which allows you to track clicks on any webpage without installing any code. (For more details on how to use this app, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/customers/how-to-use-the-events-app-in-hubspot">read this blog post</a>.)</p>
<p><img alt="events" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/events-7.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="669"></p>
<p><em>What other metrics do you think are a good indication of getting that next promotion?</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;<span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="register for INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fpromotion-metrics&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">AnalyticsProfessional DevelopmentDailyMon, 20 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMTrsprung@hubspot.com (Rachel Sprung)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/promotion-metrics2015-07-20T12:00:00ZBack to the Future: How Accurate Were The Movie's Predictions for 2015? [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/back-to-the-future-predictions-2015
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/back-to-the-future-predictions-2015" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/back-to-the-future-header.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p>Mark your calendars: October 21, 2015 is "Back to the Future Day."</p>
<p>Why? The date of M<span>arty </span><span>McFly</span><span> and Doc Brown's visit to the future in the second movie in the <em>Back to the Future</em> trilogy</span>&nbsp;has finally caught up with&nbsp;us. And now we get to&nbsp;compare what the writers and producers&nbsp;<em>thought&nbsp;</em>would be true in 2015 with what actually came true.</p><p><img alt="back-to-the-future-header.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/back-to-the-future-header.jpg" title="back-to-the-future-header.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>Mark your calendars: October 21, 2015 is "Back to the Future Day."</p>
<p>Why? The date of M<span>arty </span><span>McFly</span><span> and Doc Brown's visit to the future in the second movie in the <em>Back to the Future</em> trilogy</span>&nbsp;has finally caught up with&nbsp;us. And now we get to&nbsp;compare what the writers and producers&nbsp;<em>thought&nbsp;</em>would be true in 2015 with what actually came true.</p>
<p>According to the movie, the year 2015 is filled with flying cars, hoverboards, and&nbsp;robots. In some cases, the predictions weren't so far off. In other cases, they were way off the mark. (Ahem, fax machines?)</p>
<p>So how accurate were&nbsp;the movie's&nbsp;predictions? Check out&nbsp;the infographic below&nbsp;to find out.&nbsp;</p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fback-to-the-future-predictions-2015&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fback-to-the-future-infographic.jpg&amp;description=Back%20to%20the%20Future%3A%20How%20Accurate%20Were%20The%20Movie%26%23x27%3Bs%20Predictions%20for%202015%3F%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="back-to-the-future-infographic.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/back-to-the-future-infographic.jpg" title="back-to-the-future-infographic.jpg" width="669"></p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fback-to-the-future-predictions-2015&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fback-to-the-future-infographic.jpg&amp;description=Back%20to%20the%20Future%3A%20How%20Accurate%20Were%20The%20Movie%26%23x27%3Bs%20Predictions%20for%202015%3F%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<h3>Share this Image On Your Site</h3> &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please include attribution to http://blog.hubspot.com/ with this graphic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href='http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/back-to-the-future-predictions-2015'&gt;&lt;img src='http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/back-to-the-future-infographic.jpg' alt='back-to-the-future-predictions-infographic' width='669px' border='0' /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
<p style="text-align: left;"><span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="learn more about INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span> </p>
<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fback-to-the-future-predictions-2015&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">Pop CultureDailyWeeklyMon, 20 Jul 2015 10:00:00 GMTlkolowich@hubspot.com (Lindsay Kolowich)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/back-to-the-future-predictions-20152015-07-20T10:00:00ZFacebook, Apple, YouTube & More: What 9 Famous Sites Used to Look Like [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-famous-sites-used-to-look-like
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-famous-sites-used-to-look-like" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/What_Websites_Used_to_Look_Like.png" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p></p>
<p><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/famous-sites-infographic">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency-subscribe">subscribe to Agency Post</a>.</em></p>
<p>Between the bowl cuts and missing teeth, there's nothing quite worse than looking back on a pile of your old school photos.</p><p><img alt="What_Websites_Used_to_Look_Like.png" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/What_Websites_Used_to_Look_Like.png" style="width: 761px; height: 315px;" title="What_Websites_Used_to_Look_Like.png"></p>
<p><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency/famous-sites-infographic">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/agency-subscribe">subscribe to Agency Post</a>.</em></p>
<p>Between the bowl cuts and missing teeth, there's nothing quite worse than looking back on a pile of your old school photos.</p>
<p><em>Did I honestly think that pink scrunchie was a good idea?<br></em></p>
<p>But the truth is, almost everyone has an awkward phase they'd like to forget -- even well-known&nbsp;companies like Apple and Google. If you take a look back at the original websites of some of today's most successful companies, it becomes incredibly clear that things really do get better with age (and the advancement&nbsp;of technology).</p>
<p>Don't believe me? Check out this <a href="http://www.ninjaessays.com/blog/infographic-popular-websites/">infographic from Ninja Essays</a> to get a better idea of what these nine popular websites used to look like alongside what they actually look like today.</p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fagency%2Ffamous-sites-infographic&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2F00-Blog-Related_Images%2FWhat-Popular-Websites-Used-to-Look-Like-2.jpg&amp;description=What%20Famous%20Sites%20Used%20to%20Look%20Like%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
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<img alt="What-Popular-Websites-Used-to-Look-Like-2.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog-Related_Images/What-Popular-Websites-Used-to-Look-Like-2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="What-Popular-Websites-Used-to-Look-Like-2.jpg" width="669">
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<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fagency%2Ffamous-sites-infographic&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2F00-Blog-Related_Images%2FWhat-Popular-Websites-Used-to-Look-Like-2.jpg&amp;description=What%20Famous%20Sites%20Used%20to%20Look%20Like%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
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<span class="hs-cta-wrapper"> <span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca"> <a href="http://offers.hubspot.com/cs/cpi/?&amp;pg=dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca&amp;pid=53"><img alt="register for INBOUND 2015" class="hs-cta-img" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/dce5eb46-a785-4e5c-a73e-52e16142d9ca.png" style="border-width:0px;"></a> </span> </span>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Fwhat-famous-sites-used-to-look-like&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">DesignDailySun, 19 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTcstec@hubspot.com (Carly Stec)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-famous-sites-used-to-look-like2015-07-19T16:00:00ZWhich Type of Leader Are You? A Look at 6 Distinct Leadership Styles [Infographic]http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/6-leadership-styles
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/6-leadership-styles" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/leadership.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/types-of-leaders">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></p>
<p>It can be a lot of pressure knowing that a team is looking to you to lead the way. When the burden of leadership starts to feel heavy, leaders can sometimes backslide into bad habits instead of&nbsp;consciously living&nbsp;the attitudes they'd like employees to emulate.&nbsp;But it doesn't have to be this way.</p><p><img alt="leadership.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/00-Blog_Thinkstock_Images/leadership.jpg" style="width: 761px; height: 315px;" title="leadership.jpg"></p>
<p><em>This post <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/types-of-leaders">originally appeared</a> on HubSpot's Sales blog. To read more content like this,&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales-subscribe">subscribe to Sales</a>.</em></p>
<p>It can be a lot of pressure knowing that a team is looking to you to lead the way. When the burden of leadership starts to feel heavy, leaders can sometimes backslide into bad habits instead of&nbsp;consciously living&nbsp;the attitudes they'd like employees to emulate.&nbsp;But it doesn't have to be this way.</p>
<p>Simply becoming&nbsp;aware of&nbsp;what employees look for in a leader can help managers maintain a positive outlook&nbsp;and demonstrate the traits that&nbsp;foster&nbsp;a healthy and productive&nbsp;team.</p>
<p>The following <a href="http://www.business-management-degree.net/motivate-employees/">infographic from Business-Management-Degree.net</a> identifies six types of leaders: Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic, Coaching, Pacesetting, and Coercive. The first four are good archetypes, and the latter two ... not as much.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Which reigns supreme? <a href="https://hbr.org/2000/03/leadership-that-gets-results">According to Harvard Business Review research</a>, authoritative leaders -- those who "mobilize people toward a vision" -- boast the strongest correlation with a positive work environment. However, HBR notes that the best leaders become adept in a variety of different leadership styles.</p>
<p>In addition to reading more about leadership types, dig into the image below to discover&nbsp;what emotional intelligence&nbsp;has to do with leadership and explore the ROI of employee motivation.</p>
<a href="//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fsales%2Ftypes-of-leaders&amp;media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F53%2Fhow_to_motivate_employees.jpg&amp;description=The%205%20Types%20of%20Leaders%20%5BInfographic%5D%2C%20via%20%40HubSpot"><img src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/pidgets/pinit_fg_en_rect_red_28.png"></a>
<p><img alt="how_to_motivate_employees.jpg" class="alignCenter shadow" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/how_to_motivate_employees.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="how_to_motivate_employees.jpg" width="669"></p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2F6-leadership-styles&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">ManagementProfessional DevelopmentDailyWeeklySat, 18 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTesnider@hubspot.com (Emma Snider)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/6-leadership-styles2015-07-18T16:00:00ZAmazon Prime Day: Big Hit or Big Bust?http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/amazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust
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<a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/amazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust" title="" class="hs-featured-image-link"> <img src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/Happy_Prime_Day.jpg" class="hs-featured-image" style="width:auto !important; max-width:50%; float:left; margin:0 15px 15px 0;"> </a>
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<p>Oh, Amazon. If they&nbsp;do anything well at all, it’s staying in the headlines. Prime Day was touted as “bigger than Black Friday,” and all the world watched to see if Amazon was&nbsp;telling the truth. Some were excited to score huge deals, while others were ready to watch Amazon&nbsp;fail. The outcome? Let’s take a look.&nbsp;</p><p><img alt="Happy_Prime_Day.jpg" src="http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/53/Ecommerce/Happy_Prime_Day.jpg" title="Happy_Prime_Day.jpg" width="761"></p>
<p>Oh, Amazon. If they&nbsp;do anything well at all, it’s staying in the headlines. Prime Day was touted as “bigger than Black Friday,” and all the world watched to see if Amazon was&nbsp;telling the truth. Some were excited to score huge deals, while others were ready to watch Amazon&nbsp;fail. The outcome? Let’s take a look.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>The Scoffers</h2>
<p>When it came to the sheer number of deals, Amazon didn’t disappoint. Tweets from all over the Internet shared tales of granny panties, electric pencil sharpeners, and even plates of ham. What deals, Amazon! How did you know we’d been waiting for these things?</p>
<p>Seriously, the tweets were just brutal.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Hella granny panties on Amazon's Prime Day Deals. 😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmazonPrimeDay?src=hash">#AmazonPrimeDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeDayFail?src=hash">#PrimeDayFail</a> <a href="http://t.co/KTyuqdFhxS">pic.twitter.com/KTyuqdFhxS</a></p> — C.A. (@C8KES)
<a href="https://twitter.com/C8KES/status/621221939516837889">July 15, 2015</a>
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<p>Remember when Peppermint Patty went to Charlie Brown's house expecting turkey, but got popcorn and toast? Its kinda like that! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeDayFail?src=hash">#PrimeDayFail</a></p> — RMC62970 (@rcarlson62970)
<a href="https://twitter.com/rcarlson62970/status/621493850276798464">July 16, 2015</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeDay?src=hash">#PrimeDay</a> is not Black Friday in July. It is April Fools in July. <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon">@amazon</a></p> — Connor Woods (@wonnor_coods)
<a href="https://twitter.com/wonnor_coods/status/621216793068216320">July 15, 2015</a>
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<p>So what I'm getting out of this is that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeDay?src=hash">#PrimeDay</a> is some sort of postmodern experiment to see if disappointment can be quantified.</p> — Brad Williams (@FuriousBrad)
<a href="https://twitter.com/FuriousBrad/status/621313581129310212">July 15, 2015</a>
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<p>That’s not very nice, is it? Amazon&nbsp;can take solace in the fact that #PrimeDay was used about as much as #PrimeDayFail. Plus, that pile of nasty tweets did mean people were talking about Amazon.</p>
<p>But, was it worth it in the end? Do you really want a reputation for creating a self-serving holiday just so you can clean out the old inventory? Well, people were obviously buying the granny panties and office supplies.&nbsp;</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/MiaTaylor">@MiaTaylor</a> I couldn't even get the sharpies - they were sold out in seconds! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/unhappyprimeday?src=hash">#unhappyprimeday</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amazonsucks?src=hash">#amazonsucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iwantmysharpies?src=hash">#iwantmysharpies</a></p> — Jackie Dana (@jadana17)
<a href="https://twitter.com/jadana17/status/621230225364418560">July 15, 2015</a>
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<p>Well done Amazon, the only deals I was really interested in were sold out before I woke up. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeDay?src=hash">#PrimeDay</a></p> — Dave Bohnert (@copiedline)
<a href="https://twitter.com/copiedline/status/621287472941522944">July 15, 2015</a>
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<p>All these people having a joke at Amazon's&nbsp;expense. Should we feel sorry?</p>
<h2>The Last Laugh</h2>
<p>Now that the sales are over and the numbers crunched, we see Amazon&nbsp;really did know what they&nbsp;were doing. Even while the consuming public was ripping Amazon&nbsp;apart on social media, they were obviously buying up the outdated electronics and cartons of baby wipes. Know what else they were doing? Signing up for Amazon Prime. More users signed up for the service on Prime Day than any other single day, and at $99 a pop, that’s no laughing matter.</p>
<p>But was it better than Black Friday? According to Amazon, yes (and it was always going to be). And they&nbsp;were right. With <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2949298/e-commerce/amazon-prime-sale-busts-black-friday-record.html#jump">34 million items ordered</a> on one day, it was bigger than any of Amazon's&nbsp;past Black Friday sales. Even with Walmart nipping at their&nbsp;heels with their own online sale, Amazon&nbsp;came out on top.</p>
<p>Still, now that everyone knows what’s going to happen on Prime Day next year—will they show up for the&nbsp;big day? We'll find out then!</p>
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<img src="http://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Famazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust&amp;bu=http%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important">EcommerceHoliday MarketingFri, 17 Jul 2015 16:00:00 GMTmjacobson@hubspot.com (Morgan Jacobson)http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/amazon-prime-day-big-hit-or-big-bust2015-07-17T16:00:00Z